A New Battle Begins
by writerzero
Summary: What if there were others within the multiverse that needed pilots? And just who runs the Zearth program and why? There will be battles, but also character development. And while there will be characters from Card Captor Sakura, mainly Mirror, this story can be read without watching the anime. [Slice of Life, Friendship, Dark Themes, Mech, Humor, Sci-fi]
1. A Time Between Rounds

_**I do not own Bakurano. If I did it would have a sequel with a happier ending.**_

 _ **I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura either. If I did there would be a lot more episodes.**_

What if there were others in the multiverse, and they needed pilots at any price? I will base those others on 'Cardcaptor Sakura,' but you don't need to watch it to be able to read the story.

There will be some adult situations, but I don't plan for it to be too graphic, and while there might be some innocent fun, this certainly won't be erotica - these are mostly kids !

Based on the anime, and not the manga.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: A Time Between Rounds**

"I really wish I could've died on the Earth I grew up on," the girl spoke wistfully, sinking to the cold, hard ground. There, amidst the destruction where the fate of two universes had been decided, she breathed her last, and the slowly falling snowflakes that should've herald laughter, and cheerful shouts, instead covered her thin, rapidly cooling form. Then the scene was disturbed as the sound of rollerblades on the icy ground broke the silence, and a sudden, violent burst of wind scattered the snow, revealing the pitiful form.

A girl of around fifteen, or maybe sixteen, studied the corpse with green eyes that showed an age years could no longer measure. With a small sigh she reached up and brushed back her short, brown hair, while her lips turned down in a frown. "She has potential," the girl finally said. "And about time too. This is what, the forty-third millionth timeline we've searched? I'm tired." She gave the unmoving form at her feet a gentle, but respectful kick with her neon-pink rollerblades. "Frozen solid though. We should get moving before her soul moves on. Regeneration is a snap, but resurrection . . . now that's a pain." Turning away from the scene her hand brushed the satchel she wore around her waist. "Mirror, grab her and let's find a nice quiet spot."

* * *

Machi was confused. Stretched out, eyes closed, waiting for death, she let her hand brush along the ground. She knew she'd just been in a city, and her last memory had been wishing she could return to her home. Yet now the air smelled of flowers, and her hand moved only over warm grass and moist soil. The shattered rock was gone, as was the cold. Hesitantly, knowing she was about to see what lay beyond death, and knowing she'd been responsible for so much harm, she opened her eyes and looked up. Few were the minds that could look at a panorama of the multiverse, and none of those minds were entirely human. Even as her eyes snapped shut Machi screamed, and projectile vomit splattered from her mostly empty stomach, bringing with it blood.

"Oh snap." The brown-haired girl spoke the words like a curse, and kneeled beside the now sobbing girl. "I'm sorry. I enjoy the view, and I've never had anyone still human here. She briefly closed her eyes and commanded, "Space Card, make the sky blue, and add some clouds and stuff." Looking up she noted that the task was done, and gently stroking Machi's dark hair, asked, "Can you try looking up again, honey?"

Machi heard the words, but what she'd seen raced through her mind, and that mind, unable to conceive of four-dimensional space, let alone fifth or sixth-dimensional space, struggled to refuse. Yet the words had been strange, more of a command than a request, and she looked up expecting to see the incomprehensible again. _A strange hell, yet still a hell,_ she thought hoping it was something one would adapt to, knowing it wasn't. She blinked at the pale-blue sky with a bright-yellow sun rising just above the horizon, and studied the pink and orange clouds that spelled out, 'Hello Machi.' She blinked, and the clouds changed to spell, 'If you need anything just say it in a very low whisper.'

"Water," was the first thought that came to her mind, and she softly spoke it. Before her eyes a glass of water rose from the ground, while a fountain started to toss up a refreshing spray just a short distance away. Other than those two items there was only grass, liberally spotted with a wide variety of colorful flowers, and a number of walkways formed from smooth, gray stone. Grabbing the glass she hurriedly took a gulp, too late realizing it might be a trick if she was indeed in hell. It had to be some sort of afterlife, right? But the water was cool and delicious, and she used it to wash out her mouth, spitting it out on the ground. The disgusting mess disappeared, and she noted that the ground was also clean of vomit. "Virtual reality?" she wondered aloud.

"More like virtual timeline," a voice spoke.

Machi twisted around to see a brown-haired girl dressed like a rollerblader in neon-pink rollerblades, with neon-pink pads on her knees and arms. A neon-pink helmet was on her head. Blue denim shorts and a black t-shirt completed the outfit. "Where . . . . Who . . . ." Machi asked, feeling a bit relieved that hell wasn't totally void of people, hoping the girl wasn't there to torture her for all eternity.

"You can think of this as a timeline I had Space make so we could chat," the girl said, sitting down across from Machi. Seeing the confused look she continued, "Think of it as a timeline much like your Earth is, and the Earth you were just on is. Only this one is artificial. Don't worry, the stuff here is as real as anything in either of those two timelines, and it won't just disappear unless I tell Space to pack things up. You can think of Space Card, or just Space, as the person who maintains it all. She has a soul, sort of, so calling her a person is the right thing to do. She's just not a person as you think of a person."

"Is this death?" Machi was glad she hadn't just disappeared as she'd been afraid she would. Her world wasn't big on religion, and what one believed about death was rarely spoken about in public. There was also the matter that if she was still alive, even if dead, then her friends and her brother might also be something other than just _gone._

"No," the girl replied. "You were never quite dead, just a bit frozen. It takes three days, give or take a few hours, for a soul to leave a person. I just had Regeneration regenerate your body."

"Regeneration?" Machi wondered aloud. It sounded like a person's name, but . . . .

"Hrm." The brown-hair girl sat back, looking thoughtful. "When I use words like that, just think of it as a program with sentience and emotions. Or perhaps as software that inhabits a machine with a soul." She pulled a card out of the satchel she wore and held it up for Machi to see. "The card is the hardware, and it has a program on it; in this case it's a program's called Regeneration. And I'm the power source that it uses to run." She leaned forward. "When you vomited it went up at least thirty feet. That must've strained something. So, Regeneration, heal her."

Machi forced herself to stay calm as the strange girl touched her with the card, and the nagging ache she had in her stomach disappeared. "Oh." She looked at the card. Her people had been slightly more advanced than the people of the Earth she'd just been on, so perhaps the only thing confusing her was that this girl was from an Earth that was far more advanced than her own, and had technology that seemed like magic. Being able to create a personal timeline, and bring anybody that was less than three days dead back to life certainly seemed like magic to her. She focused her thoughts and recalled that the girl had _healed_ her to chat with her. She pushed what that implied about the fate of her friends, not sure if she really wanted to live when they were dead, and asked, "Why did you bring me here?"

"To pilot a mecha for another Earth. You have certain . . . traits . . . that we need in a pilot."

"No." Machi stretched back out on the ground and closed her eyes. "No. When I die I will have enough blood on my hands, whole universes of it, and I've had enough. Kill me now." Tears seeped from her eyes, running down her cheeks and onto the grass. Sniffing as she cried, she clutched her hands into fists. "Let me die," she begged.

"I can make sure you survive being a pilot," the girl offered, looking a bit puzzled.

"No. I'm supposed to be dead."

"Really long life," the girl countered. "Lots of money and never any sickness?"

"No."

"Your Earth still has the Zearth program running. It can be stopped if you pilot enough of the mechas." The girl tilted her head, and peered at the sky, thinking. "Yes, I'm sure of it, I can ensure that your timeline will never be interfered with again, though it also means you can never return to it."

Machi, giving that some thought, wiped at her tears. "My people are good people. We got rid of war. I doubt they would want to destroy whole universes."

"You know things are bad when you can't give away health, wealth, or longevity," a new voice said, sounding amused.

Machi turned her head and opened her eyes to gaze at the newcomer. The girl looked to be a twin of the other, just younger and without the roller-blading gear.

"My name is Mirror," the new girl said, sitting down beside Machi. "And this, " she said, pointing, "is Sakura."

Machi blinked, closing her eyes again. "You're one of those sentient programs?"

"I guess you could call me that." Mirror shrugged. "But we're not really general purpose. The people who can use us are rare and far between."

"Oh."

"It's been a while since Sakura played the part of a human, and she's sort of lost touch with what that means," Mirror explained. "I know you're tired, and just want things to end, but you do know that you're not the one destroying universes, right? When you pilot those mechas, one either wins or loses. A universe gets zapped either way. It's the people who created the Zearth program who got that ball rolling, not you. The pilots have no choice but to fight, but if there has to be a fight, then why not let a good Earth survive?" Mirror closed her eyes and shuddered. "There are worlds of such darkness as you can not imagine."

"When a pilot fights, you don't know if you're fighting a pilot from a good Earth or a bad Earth," Machi countered.

Mirror studied the girl, noting just how unlike a regular girl of twelve or thirteen she seemed. Pushing aside the desire to just hold her, and weep alongside her, she asked, "For what reason would you fight again? Though it's far from infinite, Sakura has power far beyond anything you could imagine. Unlike most people her lifeforce is not that of a tiny, single candle, but that of a star whose energy is eternally replaced by the fabric of the multiverse. That's how she's able to use programs such as me and Regeneration, and even Space."

Machi turned to peer at Sakura. "Are you a god?" she suddenly asked, attention focused purely on the girl.

"No," Sakura exclaimed.

"But the term such as they use for themselves is that of demigod," Mirror countered.

"There's more like her?" Machi continued to stare.

"Thousands," Mirror answered.

"We're no gods," Sakura muttered. "We have all-too-many limits, and we can go mad." She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

"Such as her must at times seal their power, and live as a human, least they go mad and start to think they are actual gods," Mirror explained. "Once every two or three thousand years they are born on a world in the multiverse, and there they live and grow old and die. All the things that make up a human life they partake in from being born to loving and making love. Even bearing children that they cherished and raise. Sometimes they're poor and know hunger; sometimes they're powerful and command nations. This keeps them connected to the place they come from. Without that they become arrogant, and become cruel." Mirror smiled at Machi. "Trust me, a cruel demigod is not a pretty sight."

"Why did my friends have to die?" Machi suddenly demanded, leaping up. "And why did God make such a crappy system? Why is there hurt and sadness? Why was I born and why did I have to kill? What happened to my friends?" She raged the questions. moving ever closer to Sakura as if to beat the answers out of her. Her hands, arched into claws, trembled while she bared her teeth in a beastly fashion.

Sakura met the fury of the tiny girl's gaze with a small, sad smile. "Angela, Becky, Zephry, Kelly, Henry, Angie, Paul, Nancy, Zeldy, Sam, Vance, Xandra, Leslie, Lance, Xandra, Zander, Unsula, Iric, James, Jeric, Barbara, . . . ."

Machi, taking a step back, turned to look at Mirror with puzzlement now mixed with the wrath in her eyes.

"Who, or what, laid the foundations of the multiverse even the demis don't know," Mirror explained. "As for those names . . . ." She sighed. "Sakura has lived more than nineteen thousand human lives, and in most of them she's had children. Not all grow old; in fact, many die at birth. She's buried more children than you will ever know, and more husbands and wives than you will ever care to count. And she remembers them all. Every joy and every sorrow is written in her heart. The demis, more than any human, would wish to ask those same questions of whatever power is the true God."

"Oh." Machi gulped. "And I would imagine to them all life must seem short."

"Very," Mirror agreed. "Only we, the Cards they create, share their immortality. And while we do have souls time passes in a different fashion for us. When not called we rest and dream, trading thoughts with others of our kind."

Machi turned back to Sakura. "Sorry," she said humbly. "I . . . ." She wiped at the tears that started to flow down her cheeks again.

"I know," Sakura said, taking the girl into a hug. "I know." She fell silent and rested her cheek on the girl's hair.

A rumbling sound startled Machi, and she jumped back, looking around. Then she placed her hands on her stomach which rumbled loudly again.

"Regeneration doesn't fill the stomach," Mirror told her with a smile. "Just ask Space to make you something."

Images of food came to Machi's mind, and she started to ask for something but paused. All the images were things she associated with her friends, both those on her own Earth and those of the Earth her new friends had come from. Hungry as she was, she had no desire for food.

"Not even something to drink?" Mirror asked, and then nodded, understanding when Machi shook her head. "Back to why we called you here then," she said. "There's a task that the demis need done, and . . . ."

"With power like they must have, why would you need me? Machi interrupted. "I'm nothing more than what Koyemshi would call a crude ape."

"There is a task that needs to be done," Mirror started again. "And for all their powers demis do have limits. An elephant can trample down a tree, yet can't pass through a mousehole. A flea can never fell a tree, but the mousehole is a cavern through which he can easily pass."

"Find another."

Mirror laughed, smirking a little. "Honey, you would not imagine the trouble it took to find you. There are around ten thousand demis, and they all searched for someone such as you. More than a hundred billion timelines were examined, and only you were found. Now, they can search through another hundred billion, hoping to find another suitable for this task, but I'm not sure they have the time."

Machi gulped. "A hundred billion?" she asked. "But there are billions on each Earth and . . . ."

"Which makes you one in more than a hundred billion billion," Mirror simply said, amused by the girl's expression.

"You want me to pilot more mechas, right?" Machi said. "But there are better pilots than me. Kirie for example. His skill was beyond what any of us could do."

"Piloting a mecha is not the task, only the method by which the task will be completed," Mirror explained.

"Then what is the task?"

"That we can not tell you without destroying your chances of completing it."

"But . . . ." Machi shook her head. "I don't want to kill anyone else."

Mirror sighed. "The demis, all of them, need to take a break; they need to seal their power for a while, and become human. Yet they can't do so until this task is done. They risk going insane. Every two to three thousand years is how long they usually go without such a rest, yet none have done so for more than ten thousand. We can't tell you the task, and there is no time to search for another like you." She closed her eyes. "Machi, you have at your mercy ten thousand beings that most would call gods. There has to be something you wish."

"Stop the Zearth program," Machi said immediately, turning to look at Mirror and Sakura."

"If only," Sakura said with a slightly sarcastic smile. "Only for this task we need you to pilot a mecha. Without the program there are no mechas to pilot."

"Are you demis and Cards the ones behind the Zearth program?" Machi suddenly demanded. She frowned when the two remained silent. "You are, aren't you?" Screaming, she ran at Sakura, only the grass started to move beneath her like a treadmill, and she got nowhere. Raging, she reached down to pluck up clods of dirt and grass to throw, but they faded to nothing while the ground repaired itself beneath her feet. "Why?" She yelled, demanding an answer. "Why?" Sinking back to the ground she started to sob again. Seeing her sneakers, she took those off to throw. The ground rose to form a wall between her and the ones she would've sold her soul to destroy, and the sneakers merely bounced back into her face.

Mirror looked at Sakura and sighed.

"You claim to be so powerful," Machi raged, staring at the ground. "Yet you need a stupid ape like me, and you refuse to give me any of what I want while saying I can have anything." She sighed, scowling. "Kill me. I don't want to be part of your plans. I just don't want to be alone anymore, and I want my friends back." She sunk her fingers into the ground, knowing how useless it was to attack either of them. Lost in her misery, she barely heard the words Mirror said next.

"That can be arranged," Mirror said.

"Huh?" Machi looked up.

"Your friends," Mirror explained. "It's not an easy task, but it can be done." She turned to look at Sakura.

"No," the demigod said vehemently. "Mirror, have you ever done what you're asking of me? Do you know what it entails?"

"No," Mirror said, scratching her head. "Not being a demi I can't say as that I have ever raised the dead, nor do I know what it entails, but I do know that you can do it."

Sakura closed her eyes. "There are around thirty trillion cells in a human body," she started, speaking in a low, pained whisper. "And a trillion atoms in each cell. Each atom is made up of . . . ." She looked up. "Not that you would care," she said with a sigh. "But the body is the easy part. Without the soul it's just a body. Do you know what it takes to reach into the past and manipulate a soul? It's . . . . Ah, crap." She covered her eyes with her hands and sighed.

Machi looked at Sakura. "You can raise the dead?" she asked. "But if you can do that then why not raise all your children, and your husbands and wives?"

"Of all the demis, less than ten can do that," Mirror said with some pride, glancing at Sakura. "But those that do so end up killing themselves eventually. That's about the only way a demi can die, suicide."

"But . . . ." Machi looked around again.

"You give in to the temptation to resurrect one, and you want to resurrect them all," Sakura said, not lifting her eyes to meet the girl's gaze. "But people die, and then you got to resurrect the ones that you already resurrected. But after a thousand years people's memories start to overwrite each other. They go insane. But if you start then you can't give up, you can't let them go. In the end the people you resurrect are no longer human. You spend all your time resurrecting them, unable to stop needing to protect the ones you love, but you know that by doing so you're harming them. You're raising poor souls that are no longer human, who are in torture, in hell. Eventually, to stop hurting them, and to let them move on, you end your own life. It's the only way to stop." She looked up, her effect one of sheer anguish.

"Oh." Machi looked down and gulped, knowing enough to understand that she wasn't able to comprehend the hell of losing someone you loved, and having the power to raise them, yet . . . . She gulped again, both hating and pitying Sakura.

"But that doesn't apply here," Mirror said. "They would be raised once, and be able to lead their lives. Then they would die a natural death." She looked at Sakura. "Do you really have any choice?" Turning, she then looked at Machi. "Would you agree to that?" She asked.

Machi hesitated. To see them again, to know they would live. That Maki would get to see and hold her baby brother. That . . . . But it would come at the cost her own soul. She would have to kill, again and again, destroying whole universes. "I agree," she yelped the answer before she could think on it further. She knew her price had been met; her friends and the dreams they had.

"Only the ones who piloted the last mecha she herself piloted," Sakura said, "And not Masaru."

"All my friends, on all the Earth's I've been to," Machi insisted. "And my brother, Koyemshi."

Mirror gulped, peering at Sakura from the corner of her eye.

"Just the fourteen you were with then," Sakura insisted. "Kana isn't dead, so that leaves thirteen to raise. And not all the dead can be resurrected. After around three days souls move on, and usually seek to be reincarnated. That takes around a year, but in some rare cases can be as long as a century. To raise someone who's been reincarnated involved killing the person they've reincarnated into; that I will _not_ do."

Machi gulped, forcing herself to reconsider any rebuttal she was going to make.

"But I will add this to the deal," Sakura continued. "For each mecha you pilot, I will offer you one wish when the task is done. What is not possible now, might be possible then." She frowned. "Perhaps even the resurrection of all the pilots you were friends with. That remains to be seen. It depends on how the pieces fall. If it is possible at the time, I will do it. Even your brother."

"But more than a year has passed for some," Machi said. "There's no way all of them can be raised."

Mirror smiled at the girl. "For a demi time is sometimes different." She looked at Sakura. "Is that really possible?"

Sakura shrugged wearily. "it depends on how the pieces fall," she repeated, eyes unfocused as she seemed to stare at nothing.

Machi sighed, eyes closed. Some of her friends would live, and some would get to fulfill their dreams. It was enough. "Agreed. Just don't try to back out. All you can bring back you bring back. Especially Koyemshi."

"I, and all the demis who can do so, will gladly comply with your wishes," Sakura agreed. "Just so long as they don't involve killing or harming."

"More killing is the last thing I want," Machi growled, puzzled by the squeamishness of the demi. It forced her to consider that the demis might not be monsters for running the Zearth program, and that for some reason, like when it came to raising their own children from the dead, it wasn't possible to alter it, horrible as it was. Then, face going white, she realized the true horror of the deal she'd made. She would make new friends, and they would die."

"Those will be easy to keep save," Sakura said, guessing the girl's thoughts. "Like with you, it will just be repairing some damage with Regeneration."

"Oh." Machi nodded. "But you can't do that with the pilots I kill, right? Their whole universe disappears?"

"Right," Sakura replied, tilting her head again as if peering at something no one else could see. "You can rest here, and when the time comes we'll call you," she said, fading from view, taking Mirror with her.

* * *

Machi stretched out on the grass, closing her eyes with a deep, weary sigh. She was twelve, far too young to know how to bargain with a god, or even a demi; whether the deal she'd made was good or bad she didn't know, just that at least a few of those she loved would get to continue on. Her stomach rumbled again, and she hit it with a fist. "Shutup," she told it. "I'm in no mood for food, so just be quiet and let me rest." Pondering the deal she'd made, wondering just how she might've made it better, she let her hands roam over the grass. Finally, she decided it was a good deal if only for what she now knew. Death wasn't final. There were souls, and they moved on. Even for those of her friends who she couldn't save there would be a rebirth, a new beginning. _I should've asked if the souls of those in the destroyed universes lived on,_ she realized, biting at her lip. _If so then . . . ._

Machi wasn't sure what made her open her eyes, but she did, and saw a form take place just several feet in front of her. "Ushiro," she gasped, sitting up. Then she blinked, and moved her eyes lower, staring at a point that was less than four feet from her. Eyes wide, she bit at her lower lip, and for the first time since . . . since she could remember she suppressed a tiny giggle.

"Machi," Ushiro said, staring at the scrawny girl just a few feet away. For some reason his heart was pounding in his chest, and he couldn't take his eyes from her. The girl he'd thought dead was now sitting there with a silly smirk on her face, and his chest tightened painfully. His let his eyes roam over her whole body, seeking any sign of injury and he smiled when he saw none. "Machi," he repeated.

The girl noticed how the boy's eyes had swept over her whole body, and something in her chest responded to that gaze, while her stomach felt weird. Weird, but good, and she decided she liked this feeling. Still she kept her own eyes focused on that point just four feet away, and kept chewing on her lower lip. _He doesn't realize it yet,_ Machi noted, taking in every detail. _But he's obviously glad to see me._ Then she blinked. _Or was it Sakura he liked_ , she wondered, _I'm nothing to look at. Skin and bones and . . . ._ She frowned.

"Machi, are you okay?" Ushiro asked, frowning. She looked okay, but her behavior was definitely not normal. And what was she looking at? He looked down and let out a tiny shriek, sounding very girl-like. Frantically he tried to cover that spot from which the girl's gaze didn't waver, and ended up sending the object of her attention bouncing up and down. It took a second for the red-faced boy to compensate, and provide himself with some cover, inadequate as he felt it to be.

"I take it you're glad to see me," Machi said. "Real glad." She looked up, "Or was that for Sakura. She's pretty cute isn't she?"

"I . . . ." He looked around, seeking clothes, or at least cover of some sort, but they were on a field of flowers and there was nothing. Not even a hedge or a tree. "I . . . ." He started again. For some reason when he'd seen Machi he'd wanted nothing more than to hold her, hug her, and his body had obviously taken that image the wrong way.

For the first time in a long time her mind wasn't on death and dying, and Machi returned her attention to that point which was so close. _What does it feel like?_ she wondered, enjoying the moment.

"My eyes are up here," Ushiro stated.

"I know," Machi replied. "But right now it's not your eyes I want to look at."

"Clothes?" he managed to squeak out. She had clothes so there had to be clothes around somewhere. Of course those were the clothes she'd . . . . He forced his mind away from that though. She was alive, and she was smirking. The way those lips curled up, and fact that smirk reached her eyes, did nothing to help his situation. _Damn it, go down,"_ he ordered the offending part which refused to obey. _Of course, even if it did, I would still be naked. But at least it would be easier to cover._ "Clothes," he begged again.

"I prefer you this way," Machi said and blinked, shocked at the way she'd said that, even by the mere thought that she'd actually said it. _I'm . . . I'm glad to be alive,_ she realized, startled. _And right now I'm happy. I'm actually happy._ She gazed at the boy, heart racing, stomach twisting. _And I think I actually like a boy._

"I prefer clothes," Ushiro said, frantically glancing around again.

"I think that can be arranged," Machi admitted. "But not until you tell me if it's Sakura you like so much or . . . ." She stopped there, feeling another sensation that wasn't so good. "Was it Sakura?" she asked bluntly.

"No," Ushiro said. "Now clothes. Please," he begged.

"Then who?"

The still red-faced and desperate boy looked to his left, and to his right. Still no signs of cover. He sighed, realizing he had no choice but to explain. "It's not like that," he claimed. "Sometimes it just has a will of its own. Usually at the worst possible time. Anything can trigger it."

"So when a boy gets like that in front of class it's not because he's looking at a girl?" Machi asked, wondering how to get another peek.

"Not usually. Now clothes, please."

"I see." She leaned forward, staring intensely.

"Stop!"

"Big, small, or average?" Machi asked.

'Wha . . . ."

"Big, small, or average," Machi repeated the question while her eyes never wavered from the object in question.

"How would I know?" Ushiro answered sharply, then he took a deep breath. "I don't go around looking at guys. Machi, please. We had a deal. Now clothes."

 _A deal,_ Machi though, suddenly wondering if this was a test. Maybe Sakura was testing her to see if she could be trusted to hold up her part of the bargain.

"Okay, enough." Ushiro took a deep breath. "Machi, if I'm going to be here naked, then I am not going to be naked _alone._ Understood?" His let his eyes sweep over the girl again, and he cringed as that most traitorous part of his seemed to rejoice at the sight his mind painted of the girl; one where she was stripped as bare as he was.

Machi cringed. He was . . . cute, but she . . . she wasn't anything of the sort. She was skin and bones and flat. _Flat?_ she thought. She'd never worried about that before. Or about being so skinny. There was no way she could let him see her like that. Frantically she closed her eyes, and quickly whispered, "Space, some clothes for him, please. And hurry. I can't let him see me naked."

Ushiro gasped as a bundle of clothing fell from the sky, making him jump, and giving Machi another peek. Looking down he saw jeans and underwear, along with a shirt and some socks. Nearby was a pair of sneakers. He started to reach for the underwear and stopped, wondering how to go about getting dressed without Machi seeing him again. With all the speed he could muster, he turned his back to the girl and grabbed at the clothes.

Machi observed the backside she was presented with, imprinting it in her memory. _It's not nearly as interesting as his other side though_ , she thought, smirking again.

"Why are you here?" she finally asked. "Shouldn't you be on your Earth, teasing Kana?"

"Well," Ushiro sat across from the girl, trying to regain some of his dignity. "I'm pretty sure I was dead when a girl asked me if I wanted to make a deal? Since I was dead, and yet she still seemed able to talk to me, I asked her about my mother."

Machi frowned, wondering if she'd messed up. Technically his mother was a pilot, though not one of the original ones. Whenever the task, whatever it was, was completed she would've been brought back to life.

"But she said that was being taken care of," Ushiro continued. "That you'd made a deal with her, so I asked about you." Unsure of himself, Ushiro shakily rose from the ground and knelt beside Machi. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, giving her a hug. He knew his dignity was ruined beyond any redemption when he started to cry on her shoulder. "Thank you, Machi. Thank your for saving kana; thank you for saving my mother; thank you for saving my friends. Thank you." He tightened the hug, still weeping.

Machi gulped, liking how his arms felt, and way he said her name. "Why are you here then?" she repeated, daring to hug him back.

"Well, I figured getting a god, or at least something close to it, into my debt was a one-in-lifetime chance, so I decided to take her deal to be a pilot, and hold off on asking for something til later." There was no way he was going to tell her that the thought of her being alone on another Earth, suffering to help the people she'd only known for such a short while, wasn't something he could accept. To think of her as so alone had . . . hurt. He wasn't sure, but somehow, somewhere along the way, Machi had become someone he cared about almost as much as Kana. She was courageous and strong, and then there was the fact that she'd died to save his sister.

Machi felt strange. There were his arms, still around her, still affecting the way she thought, and yet there was the anger that he hadn't just gone and been with his sister. And then there was the realization that she was glad that he was here, that she wasn't alone. Then her stomach rumbled violently, which seemed to cause a similar rumble in his stomach. With a sigh, she felt his arms leave her as he leaned away and sat back down across from her. "Hungry?" she asked.

"Famished. I don't suppose any of those flowers are edible," Ushiro asked, staring out over the field.

"No clue. You can try them if you like, but I'm in the mood for hamburger steak with lots and lots of onion."

* * *

Sakura, considering how to proceed, stood on the abandoned street, head slightly tilted with a tiny frown on her face. Ushiro was in the mecha, currently battling. She would get to him as soon as the battle was over. She was prepared to intervene if need be to ensure he won; there was no way Machi's cooperation could be jeopardized. It would also save her a lot of effort in that he would only need to be regenerated. Kanji, the pilot before Machi was also still capable of regeneration; she would have to get to him first. She skated down the silent street, considering the pilots. On many of the worlds she'd visited she was often disappointed in humanity, but these were kids, and to be frank when she looked at them she considered herself proud to be of human stock.

One after another the demi searched them out, and did what only ten of her kind could do - reach into the unalterable past of a timeline, and call the souls of the children home to her. It was only possible because the core of the souls had no mass, and hence no affect on the material world; they were merely information. If they had had mass, then it would've been impossible for anyone except maybe the original God, the one who'd laid down all the rules with all the pain they often caused. Yet, it was possible, and with the Time Card she walked unnoticed through the now destroyed city in its glory and, one by one, found those souls. As she united them with their newly restored bodies she studied them, pondering each in their turn, and offered them a choice. For many reasons they all accepted that offer.

For Ushiro, after so long rejecting those he truly loved, it was a need to make up for the pain he'd caused, and immense respect, intertwined with a love he did not yet understand, for a girl from another world.

For Waku, who knew nothing of the true Zearth, it was a need to fulfill his duty to his friends and to achieve his life-long goal.

For Daichi it was the need to protect his siblings and his friends.

For Kodama it was a desire to be the chosen, to have absolute power. He had not thought once of saving his father.

For Nakama it was because it was the right thing to do. That she would gain the power to protect her friends and her mother made the deal sweet to her.

For Kako it was shame. Though he'd died in pain, his last thoughts had been filled with regret, and he wanted to make amends. In her eyes he'd already redeemed himself, for given the offer he'd begged her to offer it to Chizu. At the time he hadn't known Machi had already ensured his life and Chizu's.

For Chizu it was a need to punish herself. And, though her pain overshadowed it, deep within her Sakura saw that the girl had a desire to find her path.

For Moji it was because he knew he could be of help. With his intuition the tide of a lost battle could be turned. He knew he would be needed.

For Maki it was because Sakura had told her the truth; her baby brother would die. The resolve in the girl's eyes had shaken Sakura to her core. There were few humans who could do that anymore.

For Kirie it was because the world had given his mother a second chance, and if she needed it he wanted to give her a third. He also wanted the strength to be who he was.

Komo wanted to save her father, and there was a need within her to see things through to the end, to not retreat from the world. That and Maki was her friend.

Anko when offered a deal had given it more than a little though. Finally she'd asked about Kanji, and the two together had made their choice. They would go together, and aid Machi.

Kanji had been explained the deal by Anko, and the two had discussed it for hours. In Sakura's mind they were already an old married couple.

* * *

End of chapter

If you're wondering why Space didn't react to Ushiro's request for clothes it's because she found the situation amusing. The Cards each have their own personality and, to a point, free will. Besides, the request wasn't directed towards her.

In 'Cardcaptor Sakura' magic is used to explain her powers. Here it's assumed to be the same source as that used to drive the mechas. Cards define the powers she can use, and uses her life force as fuel. That was done to get away from the idea of magic.


	2. A New World

_**A New World**_

"You broke the deal," Machi practically snarled at Mirror, sounding very much like the kid she was. "They should be home with their families. They should be . . . . Whatever it is kids do." She took a deep breath, trying to regain some calm. "Why?" she asked.

"What part of the deal did we break?" Mirror replied, studying the girl. "Sakura is only following what you asked of her."

"I wanted them safe." Machi sat on the floor of the small room which contained little other than a bed and a desk. A full-length mirror adorned one wall. "They don't need to fight anymore. For them it should be over. I didn't ask for this."

"But you also wanted to make sure none of the pilots you became friends with died, right?" Mirror countered. "But what if you lose a battle? The only way to make sure they didn't die was to use pilots from a different Earth, an Earth that isn't in danger."

"But . . . ." The pouting girl frowned, seeing the logic but not liking it.

"And remember, their fighting means kids of this Earth won't have to go through what you did, what they did."

"Yeah, but . . . ."

"Plus you know them, and they're a good team. They have experience." Mirror sat beside the girl. "For them there will be no politics on this Earth, no seeing their families destroyed. It will be less painful than before. They won't be facing death."

Machi took another deep breath, still pouting.

"Plus this timeline is about to divide," Mirror informed her. "Perhaps in as little as year or two. By saving this reality you're saving two worlds, not just one. And as worlds go, this one is pretty nice. This gives you the best chance of doing just that."

"I guess," Machi admitted reluctantly. "And I now know that you can do what you claim." She stared up at the pale-blue ceiling. "It's not as though I wanted to lie to another bunch of strangers either." She closed her arms around herself, thinking of all the lies, all the dead people she was responsible for, recalling their names and faces. "Yes, this is definitively better." She took a third deep breath, and turn to look Mirror in the eye. "I have questions. Do the souls of the destroyed Earths move on? You said a soul moves on, but do they?" It was, next to the 'why,' the biggest question she had.

Mirror pondered the question for a few seconds, wondering just how much the girl could be told before the project was put at risk. "Finish the task, and we'll answer all your questions," she finally told the girl. "Do that, and we'll tell you the why of the Zearth program, and what happens to souls on those worlds."

"I wish you would tell me now. I don't mean to sound distrustful, but when the task is done you won't need me, right? You can just let me die, and not bother with the bargain."

"It will also cost very little to keep the bargain," Mirror told her. "Right now time is short, and they are not only beyond weary, they're terrified. But to be honest, the cost of the bargain is insignificant to them. If it is possible, it will be kept."

"They, terrified?" Machi didn't like the sound of that. She turned her head as a knock came at the door. Reaching out, she slid it open with her foot.

Waku peered into the room, looking at Mirror with curiosity. "Not to sound pushy, but what should we be doing? How do we sign up this time around, and do we have team meetings or anything? I know with soccer team-play was half the game."

Machi looked at Mirror, and when she made no reply spoke up herself. "I guess our employers will take care of the signing up, or at least tell us what to do. But a team meeting is a good idea."

* * *

 _I just don't know how to run one,_ Machi thought a few seconds later, looking around at the team. They stood in the room where Mirror, or perhaps it'd been Sakura, had transported them earlier that day. It was around fifty-by-fifty feet. On three sides there were five rooms to a side, each of which were bedrooms. On the fourth wall doors led to two stairways, and three storage rooms. At an angle to the main room each corner led to a bathroom. It was the top floor of a three-story apartment building.

"Cellphones," Mirror said loudly, pointing to a small pile in a corner. "Names are engraved on each, and a list of numbers for the team are already programmed in." Walking to a wall she tapped it, causing a screen to appear. "Controls for the room from temperature to furniture settings to color settings." She explained, still tapping. A few seconds later a table rose from the floor along with fifteen chairs. "There're controls in each room for temperature and humidity as well as a color setting. Also the wall the desks connect to have screens built in them for the computer. Tap the desks to activate the computers. You can also watch television on the screens, but try not to rot your brains too much." The later she said with a smile. "This is whole new world people. If you like reading, well, they got a few million authors you've never heard of. If you like games then the same applies." She turned to look at Machi. "It's all yours."

"Ummm." Machi struggled to think of what to say to the team while she searched through the pile for her phone. To her amusement it was pink and had her name engraved on it in extravagant, silvery script. A white, glowing unicorn adorned the top. "Okay," she loudly stated, turning back to the team. "I don't have a clue how to lead. I'm just good at lying people into playing a game they would never want to even hear tell of. So, just how do we hold a team meeting for a group of kids who plan to mass murder the people of entire planets" Her tone held not a hint of humor.

The room was quiet for over a minute until Waku cleared his throat. "Not too sure on the meeting, but I have a question. Why was Kirie able to move like that? It was surreal after watching the other combats." He turned to look at the boy in question.

"Just luck," Kirie replied, not meeting the boy's gaze. "I got lucky and got an easy opponent."

"That wasn't luck," Waku countered.

"It wa. . . ." Kirie started.

"That was the sort of piloting you would see the ace pilot in an anime do," Kako said, interrupting. "While I . . . messed up, and don't know how hard it is to pilot such a machine, I did watch a video of all the fights. If we're to win here it would be nice to know just how you were able to pilot like that."

Kirie frowned, confused. It had to be more of Kako's put-downs, but it didn't sound like it usually did.

"When a person sits in a machine that size they tend to feel the mass," Mirror explained. "It bears down on them, and they tend to think nothing that big can move that fast." She glanced over at Kirie. "He's a little on the, ummm, hefty side, so he didn't let it affect his thinking so much. He's used to moving while being aware of his weight, and knows he can move fast, even if he doesn't admit it to himself." She shrugged. "The boy has superb reflexes developed from being the brunt of all the kids during things like dodge ball." The girl let her eyes slide over to peer at Kako who blushed and looked down.

Waku nodded and turned his attention back to Kirie. "If we ever get back home, you should try out for the soccer team."

"No way. I'm not that good at sports."

"When you can dodge nineteen out of twenty throws by the best athletes in school, I think you need to reconsider your potential," Kako countered. He looked around the room. "Yes, those numbers are pretty accurate. We were making bets on it."

"Okay," Waku said. "That's one mystery solved. We need a way to get rid our own mental block when it comes to the mech's mass though. Maybe wear weights in our clothes so we get used to feeling heavy, and then during a fight the pilot removes them." He turned to look at Moji. "That's a neat talent you got yourself. How reliable is that intuition of yours?"

Moji shrugged. "it certainly helps, but it's not reliable."

"Got a few things in mind we can try to boost that reliability," Waku offered. "If you don't mind." He paused. "It might be a bit unpleasant though, and I don't really know what I'm doing."

"Sure. It's not like any of this is pleasant as it is. I'm just here because something tells me I need to be here." He gave the group a smile. "Take that for what it's worth, but I don't recommend taking it to the bank."

Waku turned back to face the whole group again. "Of course a major part of any fight is motivation, and while we've all got our reasons for being here, what exactly is it we are fighting for? Even if we lose we just start over on another world, but I want to win. What makes this world special?"

Mirror nodded to herself. Waku, having played in team sports was a natural at this. She stood and hit a few buttons on the table, and an image of a mech appeared. "I won't say I'm a hundred percent sure, but that is the mech you'll be piloting." She closed her eyes and waited, knowing what was to come.

"But, . . . ." Kako gasped.

"I think my baby brother could beat that," Maki said, frowning.

"Second hand, I'm guessing," Kanji noted. "I wonder what the scrap value is for it."

Ushiro blinked and sighed. "If Kana was here, I would have to tell her no temper tantrums. It might break the poor thing."

Machi frowned. "I've never seen anything so pitiful in all my fights," she admitted. "How do we win in that?"

Kodama whistled. "That's a money maker if I ever saw one." He looked around the table at the surprised expressions. "It's junk," he explained. "Buy it cheap, give it a coat of paint, and lie your pants off when you sell it."

"While it's not an absolute rule," Mirror explained, "the more peaceful a world is, and the more they tend to value human life, the less capable the mech they get. It seems their fights are less entertaining, so why bother?"

"I take it we can't expect much help from the people here then?" Waku gulped.

"They haven't waged a war in over a hundred years," Mirror told him. "The people found out that things were better that way, and managed to implement a system where it was possible. Each nation knows the others can't invade it because those nations have no weapons. If they were to try building them such a program would be obvious in any one of a dozen ways; there can be no surprise attacks. They compete, but not by killing. The hundreds of trillions of dollars many worlds spend on weapons during that time they put to other uses. They have cities on the moon and several large bases on Mars. By the way, you're all Martians. They found fossils of life on Mars, and determined that ancient Martian life was transported here via meteors." She turned to look at Maki. "They also eradicated most diseases. The leukemia your brother will get wouldn't even be an issue here. All cell types have a simple mechanism that will trigger any type of cancer into remission. He wouldn't even need a needle. It's just a one-time pill crushed into some ice cream, and all's fixed."

"But how do we fight in that thing?" Machi asked, pointing to the image on the table.

Mirror shrugged. "That's what you're getting paid for." She grinned. "I'm sure you'll figure out a way. Take a walk and see the city. Read a book or watch a movie. They're all online and you can pay via phone. All it takes is a thumbprint." She looked around the table. "Just don't neglect whatever training Waku orders. It seems he's the team leader."

"But . . . ." Waku started to say.

"Deal with it," Mirror countered. "You've got the talent and the training for it. Just make sure they're all here eleven hours from now. Would be a pain to miss the signup." She turned to leave the room.

"How about we, ummm, play a game?" Waku called after her. "Win and I'll play leader; lose and I'm tossing the job onto someone else." Seeing her disappear into her room, he loudly added, "I'll also streak around the building if I lose."

"I'm more than fifty million years old," Mirror called back. "I'm a little old to be turned on by a kid streaking."

* * *

Kako took an extremely slow deep breath, carefully taking note of the way the air filled his lungs. One didn't truly appreciate something until they lost it, and that most definitely included the ability to breathe. From what he'd heard, he figured dying by having your life force sucked out by a mech was quick and painless. Not so having your chest crushed. And while he'd lost consciousness pretty quick, his dying brain had played dreams for him that he didn't care to contemplate. Centuries worth of them. Still, he'd learned things it took many people an entire lifetime to learn. _Technically, for me, it was an entire lifetime,_ he noted with some amusement. _I just got an extension._

He took another slow, deep breath while looking around the table. Chizu, as always, looked elegant and lady-like, yet her expression was disturbing. She was also way too pale. Seeing her glance his way and frown, he quickly looked away. Strange that he now understood what he'd wanted when he'd asked her for sex. While it would've been great if she'd agreed, and that would've met the need, sex itself hadn't been the need. No, it'd been a desire to connect with someone who didn't hate him. _And rape is a really good way to make someone not hate you,_ he thought with irony. His whole life had been nothing but hate from the way his sister and mother regarded him, to the way he'd passed that treatment onto others. If he'd asked her to hold hands, that would've met the need to not die believing he had no value, that he wasn't as alone as he'd felt. Perhaps, holding hands, they could've sat there watching the one thing in the world that'd always calmed him - the great mammals of the sea at play. _Too late now,_ he quietly sighed, wondering if she would've agreed to it.

Taking another look around the table, Kako noticed that Kirie looked puzzled, and that expression he could understand. It was rare that praise came his friend's way, and it must've come as a shock to him. He cringed, thinking of all the things he'd said to the boy, of all the insults he'd somehow managed to fit into the course of each day. That he'd somehow managed to put up with it spoke of his friend's patience, yet also of his friend's lack of confidence. And, he had to reluctantly admit, he'd had more than his fair share in creating that lack. Even Kirie might've met that need to connect to others, though certainly not like Chizu could have. _I had my chances,_ the boy noted with a ruthful sigh. _And then I got another chance. Maybe if I ever get back, one of those few times my mother does try to connect, I will meet her halfway. What I said to her and my sister that last time was . . . ._ He hung his head, cringing at the memory.

Slowly letting out the breath he was holding, Kako studied the way his lungs contracted, and the sensation as the warm air flowed through his throat, over his tongue, and finally left his body. _A living body,_ he happily noted, which made him think of Mirror. She was younger than the girl, Sakura, who had made him the offer. _Either a sister, or maybe even a clone_ , he assumed. Who knew what a race that could raise the dead could do? But whatever it was, he was grateful. Still, that even a race capable of that feared the masterminds behind the Zearth program frightened him. After all, why else would they want pilots except to study how best to act should their Earth be targeted. Not that he had any proof that was their motive, just that it seemed to fit.

"I hope I got the size right," a voice said, tone neutral.

Kako looked up to see Nakama standing beside him. He shrugged and tried a small smile. "I'm sure it'll do the job." He paused, looking at the shirt and trousers the sweating and clearly tired girl was struggling to hold. "I like the design," he added. "Nice work." He took what was to be the team uniform.

The girl hesitated, as if unsure how to respond. "Thanks," she said, giving him a quick smile back as she turned and left.

Koka took the clothes, which had been printed via a 3-D printer the group had found in one of the storage rooms. While it seemed they couldn't raise the dead, much of this Earth's technology was out of this world. Movement caught his eye, and he saw Chizu leaving the room, heading towards one of the stairways. Kodama was following her. He cringed. Much as he knew life was incredible, beyond incredible, that didn't mean things didn't hurt. But even the hurting reminded him that he was alive. He looked at the uniform Nakama had given him and went to change in his room. It was dark green, with a variety of trim along the edges. A picture of the Earth appeared on the right breast, while the left held the words, 'The Sorrow, As Well As The Joy, We Defend.' He liked the motto and thought again of his mother and sister. The collar, as well as the cuffs of the shirt, held rings of lead, as did the legs of the pants. The waist of the trousers was actually a belt that seemed to contain more than its fair share of lead. He figured together they weighed at least thirty to thirty-five kilos.

Returning to the main room he saw Maki staring at the image of the mech they were to pilot. Pausing to consider what he was going to say, Kako slowly approached her. "Can I ask you something?" he bluntly asked, feeling nervous. His palms were sweaty, while his back felt as though it was soaked, and his stomach was probably as upset as Chizu's was.

"Sure," Maki replied casually. "Just don't ask me to run a marathon in this thing." She pulled at the collar of the team uniform she was wearing. "it weighs what, a hundred kilos?"

"Change the kilos to tons, and I think you'll be right on the mark." He gulped, and took a breath, calming himself. The air contained some faint aroma that reminded him of strawberries. _Perfume,_ he guessed, admitting he liked the smell.

"Your question?" Maki asked, looking at him inquisitively.

"Well." He took another breath, and slowly let it out. What he had to ask wasn't someone a guy asked of a girl, and his nerves were . . . . He gulped. "Chizu is pregnant," he finally said.

"We all know that," Maki said, sounding less friendly than she'd a few seconds ago.

"Well." Kako looked around the room, not meeting her gaze. "She was pretty pale, and looked nauseated this morning," he finally said. "And I was wondering if she had, you know, morning sickness." He blushed as he said the words. _A guy who can't talk about morning sickness is definitely not ready for sex,_ he admitted to himself. It also made him wonder how much the group knew of him and Chizu. _Little,_ he figured. Dying without piloting might be forgiven, but they would've torn him apart if they'd found out what he'd tried.

"Hrm," was all Maki said, looking thoughtful.

"I wouldn't want her to suffer through that alone," he added. "I know my mother still complains about when she had me, and that was thirteen years ago. And you got a baby brother so . . . ." He stopped rambling.

"I see," Maki said, her expression returning to one of friendliness. "I'll be sure to check up on her and see how she's doing. She does tend to be too private."

"Thanks," Kako muttered, and blushing ran off as fast as the team uniform would allow. He fell, sprawling out on the ground in a boneless heap. With the lead weighing him down it took some effort to get back up. No one around him laughed. They too, after all, were wearing the same uniform.

Back on his feet, trying to maintain his dignity, he looked around the room. To one side he saw Waku with Moji. The latter was clearly not having fun.

"So that's the idea?" Kako asked Waku as the boy jabbed Moji in the palm with a pin. "Pain. Always an effective motivator."

"Yeah," the boy replied. "If he has any control at all over his intuition, the negative stimuli should trigger it so as to avoid the pain. Our coach used to use something similar." He shuddered before continuing, "Or so I hope." He looked back towards Moji. "What number am I thinking of?" he asked.

"Nineteen, I hope . . . . Owe."

"What number?"

"Forty? Please let it be . . . . Owe."

"And now?"

"Ten, I swear it's ten . . . . Owe. Not so hard," Moji pleaded.

"Number?"

"Twenty? Owe."

"That looks like fun," Kako grinned at Moji. "If the team members had titles, you would be the PinCushion Man."

"Hahaha. You try it," Moji muttered, scowling.

"I think I will." Kako turned towards Waku. "You're the leader, so this sort of grunt work is beneath you. As a natural-born bully I swear I will make you proud, sir." He held out his hand for the pin.

"I meant you try being the pincushion," Moji said, glaring. He also turned white, recalling that Kako in the past had actually played the part of a natural-born bully, and played it well. "Waku, I think it's best if you . . . ."

"All yours." Waku handed the pin to Kako. "I'm going to look at that mech again to see if I can figure out how to beat a flea with it."

"We need to be able to beat more than a flea," Kako said, sighing. He looked towards the table where the image of the mech was still displayed.

"A lot more," Moji agreed, also looking towards the table. On it was an image that looked like little more than a crude cylinder made of spider webbing. The webbing looked like anything could tear it apart, while the cockpit was blindingly obvious. There were no obvious weapons. Any of the mechs they'd fought on their own Earth would have torn it to shreds in seconds."

"Okay," Kako said, grinning at Moji while Waku hurried off. "Let's get this started.

"Do we need to?" Moji asked, cringing.

"Yes, we do. But I think asking for a number out of a hundred is a bit too much to start. Let's try a number between one and ten, and I'll even give you a hint."

"At least I'll be right some of the time," Moji said with a sigh, eyes never waving from the pin. "What's the hint?"

"On a scale of one to ten, what do you think I think of Sakura?"

Moji blinked. "Huh?"

"Come on," Kako told him. "If you're going to be made into a pincushion, at least get some fun out of it, and what's better than thinking of girls. Now, between one to ten, how pretty do you think I think she is?"

"Ten . . . . Owe."

"Nope," Kako grinned. 'Try again."

"Nine . . . . Owe."

"Again."

"Eight . . . . Owe."

"Seven . . . . Owe. Man, are you gay?" Moji complained. "She's cute. At least a nine or ten."

"Dude. On a scale of one to ten, someone like her is off the scale. She's an eleven," Kako informed the boy, shaking his head. "Let's try something simpler. Her breasts. Rank them A, B, or C?"

Moji frowned. "I assume the answer is either A, B, or C, and not something else entirely."

Kako nodded. "It is. Would I lead you astray?"

"Yes. You would."

"Got that one right. Seems your intuition is working after all. Now A, B, or C."

Moji's eyes followed the needle. "Either a B or C cup. She's borderline there, but I guess I need to guess which of those two you think they were?" He took a deep breath, shaking as he considered his answer. "C," He guessed, knowing guys always overrated the girls they like. "Owe."

"Try again," Kako ordered, shaking his head.

"B, damn it," Moji cursed. "Owe." He glared at Kako, clearly resisting the urge to hit him. "She's definitely a B or C cup, so why . . . ." He growled the question.

"I didn't say anything about cup size, I asked you to rank them, and they are definitely A class. Dude, are you sure you're even into girls?" Kako frowned. "Maybe it would be more fun for you if we talked about guys. Not my thing, but you're the one we're trying to help here."

"Let's stick with girls," Moji sighed.

"Blondes or brunettes. Which do I like the best?"

"Easy. Brunettes." Moji sighed. "It was clear as day that Kako liked Chizu. "Owe." Gritting his team, he snarled at Kako, "Okay, so blondes it is then. Okay? One right . . . . Owe."

"Dude, girls are great no matter what color their hair is. Not that it matters. These days with hair dye who can tell anyway." He peered at Moji. "Okay, stop trying to hide it. We're going with questions about guys from now on. On a scale of one to ten, rank Kirie's skill when he piloted that mech."

"Eleven," Moji said, eyes closed as he waited for the pin to pierce his poor hand again. It didn't come.

"Right. See, going to questions about guys is the right way to go."

"I'm going to kill you," was Moji's only reply.

* * *

"How's it going?" Waku asked three hours later. "Any blood left in Intuition Guy?"

"Not a drop," Moji muttered. He was sitting with his head on the table, his stretched out hand an unblemished mass of oozing red pinprick wounds. "That bloody vampire took it all."

"We got a winner here," Kako grinned.

"If I'm a winner, why am I full of holes?" came the disgruntled reply from Moji.

"Because while you get the right answer twice as often as you should, you still get mostly wrong answers. Guessing a number from one to ten gives you a one in ten chance of randomly guessing the right number, but out of four thousand guesses you got it right twenty percent of the time. Quite impressive."

Moji struggled to raise his head, but gave up. Between the lead in the collar and his weariness the table, he decided, felt just fine. "You mean I got eighty percent wrong, so out of four thousand guesses that means you used that needle . . . . Damn. Does this world have hospitals?"

"Only thirty-two hundred times," Kako said with a shrug. "Imagine how my wrist feels doing that that number of time, and with lead in the cuff of this shirt. I like the design, but the weight . . . . Oh god."

Waku was grinning like a crazed clown. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked Kako frenetically. "I used to manage some data for my soccer team back when I played. We used spreadsheets and . . . ." His grin widened. "We can find their cockpit easy. No guessing needed." He paused. "Well, I guess there's guessing but we can find it."

Kako nodded. "I used them to try to analyze statistics for betting on Kirie, among other things. We do have a winner." He too was grinning. The grin turned to a frown. "But is there any way that mech can fight? I mean . . . ."

"Oh, don't worry," Waku said, a fake smile plastered all over his face. "We won't have to fight in it."

"Why not?"

"Cause the wind will blow it apart before we get to fight."

"Oh." Kako turned to study the display of the mech. "You know, I got the perfect name for that contraption."

"Deathtrap?" Moji enquired?

"Mommy Help Me?" Waku wondered.

"No, though they're both excellent suggestions. I think we should call it MEarth?"

"Mirth?"

"No, M, E, a, r, t, h." Kako spelled out the name. "We just pronounce it as Mirth. You know, cause it's a laugh to think that thing can even fight."

* * *

In a city that was beyond anything they could've imagined, the group wandered through one skyway after another, eyes wide in awe. Massive skyscrapers rose more than three kilometers into the sky, and they moved through glass passages near the top, sometimes gasping at the vista below, sometimes gawking at the display above. While it was starting to get dark there was still enough light to see, and the view, where not blocked by vividly decorated buildings, extended for nearly two-hundred kilometers. Having switched to uniforms without the lead weights for the trip, they bounced from one side of the skyway to the other, excitedly pointing and exclaiming at what they saw. Chizu was the only one who appeared calm, though her eyes also flickered around. Above them, due to properties of the glass ceiling, there were more stars than they could count, with many of them moving rapidly from horizon to horizon suggesting they were satellites. On the moon, which was full and bright, there was a myriad of lights.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the city though were the buildings themselves. Placed around two kilometers apart, they were painted in designs which sometimes made the group chuckle, and at other times baffled them. The cleverly embellished paintings rendered any part of the building not part of the design hard to see, and it was like walking through a field of massive beings, some rather mundane while others were clearly mythical. The one of a nude woman kneeling on the ground, holding a coconut in her left hand as if offering it to someone, made the boys pause to stare. The form was realistic, and if it had moved no one would've been surprised. Just across from that work of art was a similarly nude man in the same kneeling position with a bunch of grapes held high, also in his left hand. It were the girls who forced the group to pause while they stared at that one. Other buildings were of creatures of legend. A smiling mermaid, a proud centaur, a very well-endowed satyr, . . . .

Machi tilted her head, taking in both the view of the man and woman. Letting her eyes follow where the two were gazing she gasped. In the distance was a building that held the resemblance of Sakura. Standing tall she alone of the images wore clothing, a rather revealing robe of pure, unadorned red that bared one breast. In her left hand she held a staff that was firmly planted on the ground. It possessed a circle inscribed with a star at the top. Her right hand was held out, and from her five fingers came lightning, fire, water, wind, and stone. Her visage was stern, yet her eyes gentle. On the girl's feet it looked as if she was wearing a pair of rollerblades, while there was a satchel firmly tied around her waist.

Kodama was frowning, walking from side to side at a more measured pace. "I wonder what materials they're using," he mused, frown deepening. "We can't get beyond one kilometer yet." He tapped at the glass, and taking out a knife, tried to scratch it.

"Don't," Anko told him. "I rather not have this fall." She was a little pale, yet as excited as the rest. With the glass nearly invisible, it was like walking on air.

"The chosen will survive, no matter what," was Kodama's calm reply.

"I would rather not put that hypothesis to the test," Moji said, though he also tapped at the glass with the index finger of his right hand. His left hand was well bandaged.

"Okay, going down," Mirror said, and they fell.

It was a long fall with even Chizu taking the effort to scream. Kodama merely smiled, confident of being one of the chosen. Around five-hundred meters from the ground the free-fall slowed, and the group once more could feel the glass bottom of an elevator beneath their feet. With the exception of the chosen one, who calmly stood, they all crouched down on it, gasping for breath.

"Wow, they could make money off that ride a pale-faced Waku said, breathing hard.

"I would hate to think about the lawsuits though," Anko replied, stretched out on the glass floor, still staring down.

"Assuming it's family safe, there must be a lot of puke to clean up," Daichi said. "I'm not bringing the kids here." Face a sickly green, he looked around. "By the way, just where does one go to puke on this thing?"

Mirror looked back at the group with a tiny smile on her lips, clearly enjoying their reaction to the city. _Let the kids be kids for once,_ she thought, thinking of just where they were going and why.

There were more gasps as they entered one of the buildings. The inside was as much a work of art as the outside, though not always as well done. One section might be a breath-taking artistic creation of a genius, while further on it might be the work of a gifted child, but still the work of a child. The various scenes seemed to change every ten meters, going from a rustic countryside setting of kids playing in a stream, to a vast desert with a massive rocket in the distance. One thing was sure though, the people of this world had no nudity taboos. Kids and adults both played in the bare, with clothing seeing to be either decorative or functional.

Moving through the hallways they passed several people, of which the adults always gave them a pleasant nod, while the kids usually raced pass with shouts of 'coming through.' Though the citizen of the city usually wore some clothing, it was hard for the group to not stop and oogle. "Staring is rude," Mirror informed them a number of times, and once even had to tug at one of the boys and two of the girls. "Try to act like you fit in," she added as they entered an area where the scenery turned dark. "If you don't behave it might be best if you all stripped. I bet that would help you fit in. We want to look like we belong to this Earth."

Machi frowned, recalling her view of Ushiro the day before. While she wanted another peek, there was no way she herself was stripping. She kept her eyes forward, not noticing the way Ushiro glanced at her and blushed.

Anko peered out of her left eye at Kanji, chewing on her lower lip as she considered the possibilities.

Kako for his part couldn't help but let his eyes briefly flicker towards Chizu. He immediately averted his gaze frowning.

Kirie frowned, furtively pinching the fat around his stomach. He briefly closed his eyes with a weary sigh. His weight was always an issue, and he hated it. The people they passed were always fit and for the most part, though not always, athletic.

Kodama just shrugged and kept staring. "They're nothing more than filthy ants. They're not chosen," he stated. His eyes focused on a young woman passing by, eyeing her smallish breasts he smirked. Seeing his unabated attention she scowled back at the boy.

Frowning, Mirror pivoted on her left foot, closing in on the boy before he could react. She grabbed him by the ear, twisting. "Sorry," she said to the woman. "The doctors are wondering how to treat him."

"Oh," the woman now gave Kodama a pitying look. "To not have the blessing of Sakura." She shuddered, and closed her arms around her body in a way that had nothing to do with her near nudity. "I hope everything goes okay."

"Me too," Mirror replied, giving the woman a thankful smile. "Me too." When the woman had disappeared from view, she turned back on the boy. With a touch of her finger his clothes faded from sight, staying on his body but attaining the transparency of crystal clear glass. "Behave," she stated firmly, meeting his stare with an unflinching gaze of her own. "Apologize to the group and I'll turn them back to normal."

With a shrug, Kodama continued to walk forward as if not caring about his own state of undress, or the way the group stared at him. "The chosen are above such mundane considerations," he stated.

"The patience and mercy of the gods are plentiful," the Mioror said clearly, "but not infinite. You should take care you're not _chosen_ for their wrath, for it is terrible and all encompassing." As the boy paid her no heed she sighed, looking sad. Her expression, like the woman who'd just hurried off, was one of pity.

It was only a few minutes later that she stopped to touch a wall, revealing a hidden panel. She tapped a button and it opened. She entered, and the group followed her. Inside was a small creature that floated in the air, looking as if it was made of ceramic. Beside it was a girl of around fifteen who looked beaten. Her lips were in what appeared to be a perpetual frown, and no sign of joy lit her eyes.

"You want game testers?" Mirror asked bluntly.

"We do," the girl said, "but I'm not sure kids would be appropriate for. . . ."

"You'll do fine," the creature said. "My name is Drop Dead. "They are the ones applying?" he asked, sounding like he was snickering.

"They are," Mirror stated, looking at the girl instead of the creature.

"Come this way, kiddies," Drop Dead added, moving to hover over a pedestal. "Just step right up here, place your hand on the plate, and say your name." He bounced around, eyeing the kids as they did so. "A little on the chubby side, huh?" he said when Kirie stepped up. With Chizu the creature gloated, laughing aloud. "Well, guess we know what your hobby is, huh girlie? Appear in any good videos lately? Any boys left at school you haven't fucked?"

* * *

End of Chapter


	3. Speed of Wheel

_**Trigger Warning:**_ Given the nature of Bokurano, which has the molestation of a child and massive character death, do I really need to give a trigger warning? Either way, here it is. There will be graphic sexual violence towards the end of this chapter. (Now that I know what I wrote, yes the warning is needed. If you feel the last paragraph exceeds the standards of the FanFiction site let me know and I'll tone it down. But I am trying to express the thoughts and actions of a sociopath.)

 _Time: Same day as the previous chapter, late at night._

* * *

 _ **Speed of Wheel**_

Kako paced around his room, or at least he tried to. The ten-by-ten foot space didn't allow for much pacing, and lost in his thoughts he actually ran into the wall a few times. Guilt rode him, and while he'd died once and was given a second chance, he wasn't sure if there would be a third. When the time came to pilot MEarth he would ask to be the first, and he knew that request would be accepted; Moji's intuition said so. Two hundred times they'd asked the boy who would be the first pilot, and he'd answered Kako thirty-one of those times. That was how they'd teased reliable data out of the boy's intuition. You asked the question a whole bunch of times, and the choice he chose the most often was likely the right one. If it worked as well on lotto numbers Moji was going to be one rich kid, assuming he lived, and assuming he made it back home.

 _Kirie, mom, sis, Chizu, . . . ._ In the boy's mind the names of his many victims came and went, each torturing him with the deeds he'd done. Could Sakura deliver on her promise? That question haunted him. Would she for a person who'd spread such hate, such misery? He had his doubts. Yet all the others had piloted ZEarth back home, and now it was his turn. To do otherwise was to betray the person he hoped to become. But the need to run burned inside, and as before it was driving him mad. He paused in his frantic pacing to bury his face in his hands, wanting to scream. _Help,_ he silently begged, knowing no one could hear him. _Help, . . . ._ Turning he smashed his fist against the wall, leaving it smeared with blood. Uttering a weary sob the boy sank to the floor, the action causing considerable pain as his knees met the hard surface, driven by the brutal weight of the uniform he wore. _The others were stronger,_ the boy screamed to himself. _Why am I so weak? They didn't run. Why do I want to?_

He forced himself to his feet to continue the agonized, weary pacing. _Run, flee,_ his mind screamed, countered by the images of all the pain he needed to make amends for. If he ran he could never make amends, that he knew. He would've betrayed his friends again, and there was no way back home. There was no way he would ever be able to apologize to his family for the years of torment. As for Kirie, even though the boy was less than ten seconds away, he couldn't face him. Then there was Chizu . . . . The only way through was to pilot, by not betraying his friends again, and hoping Sakura filled her promise. If she did then he might make it home, and there he might find his sister and mother, maybe. He'd seen the footage Mirror had shown of the battles, and the awful doubt that either was still alive haunted him. So he would pilot, and he would die. He wouldn't run even if he had to smash his own legs to stop it.

Kako paused in his pacing, startled out of his internal diatribe by something. It took a second light, tentative knock at the door for him to realize what it was. With a lonely sigh he opened it.

* * *

"Hi," Maki said hesitantly, her eyes flickering to the left and then to the right, but never meeting his. "I, ummm, asked Chizu about morning sickness," she told him blushing, realizing it wasn't a subject a girl talked to a strange boy about. "I'm pretty sure she has it, but she just pushed the subject aside."

"Oh. Thanks." Not wanting company he started to close the door.

"Are you okay?" Maki asked, now focusing her eyes on the boy, peering at him with concern.

"Fine." He went to close the door again.

Maki hesitated, unsure of what to do. He wasn't; she could see the blood on the wall, but was it her place to interfere? _We're a team,_ she told herself. _He's a part of it._ Still feeling unsure, she blocked the door with her foot. _He's a bully, someone who gets his kicks from kicking others, but . . . ._ "You're not," she said, nodding towards the blood stain on the wall. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to die tomorrow," Kako stated. "Moji says the first battle will be tomorrow, and the pilot will be me."

Maki nodded. "But if Sakura could raise us once, she might do it again. Might." She herself was also unsure on that part.

"But why would she raise me?" Kako asked with the image of Chizu in his mind. Of all the things he'd done, that haunted him the most, though he wasn't sure why.

"She did once." Maki shrugged. "Maybe her standards aren't too high," she let slip, then cringed, regretting the harsh words.

"Obviously," Kako replied bluntly. "I _am_ here, aren't I?"

"Sorry. I . . . ." She sighed, giving him a forlorn look, showing her own tiredness. "If you want to run, I won't tell anyone. I wouldn't blame you."

"Of course I want to, but where would I go?" He let the anger he felt show in his voice. "A person can't run from this, and if I did, what point would there be to living?"

"Unlike with ZEarth you chose to . . . ."

"I know that," Kako told her. "I know that, but now, . . . ." He turned away from her. "I chose to come here with a purpose, but now, . . . . But now I'm afraid."

Maki nodded. " We all did. She knew the goal most of the others had, but Kako's was unknown to her. "What purpose was it?" she asked?

Kako stood there, feeling as if he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, of going crazy. The guilt in him spoke. "I tried to rape Chizu," he said bluntly.

Maki blinked, recalling what she knew of Chizu and the poor girl's past. Unbidden her foot snapped up into Kako's groin, sending him to the floor. The weight in her pant's leg slowed the blow, but that weight also added momentum. It'd been a savage kick, driven by pure rage, and the boy went to the floor, smashing his head on the bed, leaving a tiny smear of blood on its plastic frame. She stepped forward and placed her foot, and most of her weight, on Kako's chest. She opened her mouth to yell, to curse, and felt the need to hit the boy more and more, but . . . . She blinked, puzzled. His eyes bore into hers while he offered no resistance. She could kill him if she wanted, but those eyes. Confused, she watched as he turned purple and those eyes started to close. Frantically she stepped back, still unsure of what was stopping her.

For several minutes she stood there, just watching as slowly the purple faded and Kako's eyes flickered. _Kill him, he's a monster,_ her sense of outrage told her, but as she continued to stare into his face something stopped her. It was filled with such pain and sorrow, such misery. _What if it was my brother lying there,_ Maki asked herself, and while she wanted to deny that her brother would ever try such a thing she knew that wasn't the case. Much as she loved him, and at the moment believed him perfect, shed' learned the world was a harsh place. For all she knew his parents, her parents, might be dead, and who knew what sort of life he would have then, or what sort of person he might become _And then there's Ushiro_ , she told herself. _He used to kick Kana, but I think he might actually be nice._ Confused, she watched the boy. "You're hurt," she finally said, feeling drained. "Lie on the bed." When he'd done so she led down beside him, and intertwined her arm with his, holding his hand. "Talk to me," she said.

Kako studied the sensation of holding hands with a girl, puzzled. Her justified outrage had been clear, yet now . . . . Then realization struck him. _She's decided I'm worth saving, worth talking to,_ he realized, shocked. _She hates me, despised me, but . . . ._

"Why did you agree to pilot MEarth if you're so afraid?" Maki asked gently. "But don't mention any other atrocities quite that bad, okay? I'm at my limit."

"I was ashamed that I ran away," he started. "I wanted to make amends. And I . . . . I don't know how I could ever make it up to her, but I need to." Kako sighed. "I know it sounds weird after what I did, but I want to protect her. You don't just apologize for something like that, but now that I'm here I can see that my presence just makes things worse for her. I'm actually glad that I can't run, that I have no choice, because I'm a coward." He tilted his head to peer at the girl. "Everyone else is so strong. How?"

"I want to live," Maki answered quietly, thinking on her words. "I really love life, and I want to see my baby brother. I want to hold him and play with him so bad that sometimes I can't stand the pain in my heart. If I had a choice of course I would run, and if someone else had to take my place then I would cry, and I would feel guilt, but I'm like you, a kid. Let some adult deal with it." She gave a short laugh. "Strange, but now that I think about it, you're the reason no one else actually tried to run; you showed them the futility of that. Koyemshi proved he could grab us from anywhere, dead or alive, so we knew we had no choice but to accept it. Still, I had something I wanted to protect, my family, my brother. That meant I had to try my best. The same goes for most of us. Daichi has his sisters and brothers; he loves them like crazy. Ushiro has his family, especially his sister." Maki paused for a few seconds, thinking. "Look at Kirie. When he felt he had nothing to protect he was prepared to let the world end. When he changed his mind, when he decided to protect his mother, he fought better than any of us." She paused again, wondering what else to say. "What about you?" she asked. "Didn't you have anyone you love? People you want to protect?"

"No." Kako tried to think of the things he loved. "I love Chizu, I think. After what I did I'm not sure I know what love is anymore. Maybe it's just lust. How would I know the difference? But I would fight to protect her. And maybe Kirie. But they were both going to die. There was no way I could protect them."

"I know I love my baby brother, and my parents," Maki replied. "But I've never been in love. I wouldn't be able to tell you what it's like." She grew silent for a bit. "What do you like about Chizu?"

Kako gave a small snort. "I could say the way she looks, and that would be true. She's beautiful. And the fact she's so smart. But . . . ." He struggled to find words to express himself. "Maybe it is lust," he lied, feeling ashamed of his past. He waited for Maki to judge him.

Maki was silent for a long while. "If it's just lust then that's okay," she decided. "But you're hiding something, aren't you? What is it you're not saying?" She gave his hand a small squeeze. "It can't be worse than . . . . You know. I won't share what you say. I swear it on my baby brother, the person I love most."

Kako gulped, knowing the girl was telling the truth. Whatever he told her, she would never tell. "She's everything I'm not," he admitted.

"How so?"

"She's kind. She's strong." He paused. "You haven't seen her at her best. We went to the same elementary school for a short while. One day, when we were in fifth grade, she faced down four sixth graders who were tormenting a boy from our class. She risked getting beat up pretty bad by getting between them, yet she did. And while tattle taling is usually wrong, sometimes it's the right thing to do. She told on the kids. Few people spoke to her after that." He took a deep breath. "And no, I wasn't one of the kids. I started my bullying career a little later in life."

Maki snorted. "Okay. I was going to ask if you were," she admitted. "Why did you start?"

"it was the only way to keep from getting beat up myself. The bullies at the school I go to are . . . . Well, let's say they got a lot more brawn than brains. Even as a seventh grader I found I could make myself useful to them. But that only helped, and I was still the focus of their attention all too often. So I started redirecting it onto others. It's something I found I was pretty good at. But to fit in you got to play the part, so I also joined in when they went after someone. I don't know why, but it made me feel better."

"I see." Maki gave it some thought, noticing the way he'd said 'better' instead of 'good.' "So Chizu is someone you looked up to, but you became just the opposite?"

"Yeah."

"I've never been bullied. At least not to any great amount. And I've never been beat up." Maki shrugged. "So while I think what you did is horrible, I can't say I wouldn't do it myself. I imagine being beat up is pretty painful."

"Once or twice is just the way it is, but when it's every day." Kako sighed. "I should've done what Chizu did, but I'm a coward.

"Where does Kirie come into this?" Maki asked. "You said he was worth protecting?"

Kako went silent for a long time, knowing she would wait for his answer. "I got to apologize to you," he admitted. "I said I started in seventh grade, but that's just when I spread out. I've known Kirie for a long time, and I've never been kind to him. I'm not sure why he sticks around, but he's been my friend since forever. I'm also the reason he's here, the reason he's stuck in this mess. I bullied him into going to summer school." He sighed. "Damn."

"Weird," Maki replied, thoughtful.

"You mean cruel. Not sure how it's weird."

"Weird. I mean, if he hadn't gone to that class, then what would've happened to the Earth, our Earth that is? He faced the strongest opponent, and he was the only one who could've beat them. Strange to think our Earth only survived because of a bully bullying someone." She glanced at him. "Not that I'm saying it's okay, understood?"

"I know. I've known that since forever, and never stopped."

"Ever talk to the counselor at your school?" She frowned when Kako snorted loudly. "What?" she asked.

"Our school counselor is the guy who got Chizu pregnant."

"Oh."

Deep into the morning hours they talked, holding hands, resting comfortably beside each other. Eventually it dawned on Maki just how different the world Kako had grown up in had been. She'd had parents, even if they were adopted ones, who would've died for her, a baby brother she loved and craved to see, friends she trusted and gossiped with at a school where bullying wasn't tolerated, . . . . It was a whole different world with a different set of rules. So how could she judge? If faced with a beating every school day for years, could she say she wouldn't have given in? She wanted to say she was stronger than that, but she'd never been tested. Pain was not generally a part of her world. And if she'd faced so much hate, could she say she would not have learned to hate? To that she had an answer; she would have. Hadn't she been all too willing to despise both Kako and Ushiro? Even Micha when she'd learned of the girl's history. Didn't she still hate Kodama? And then there was Koyemshi and the masterminds. Not only that but what of pride? She'd never known Chizu could be so brave, yet she'd somehow felt superior to the girl. After all, she'd gotten pregnant when she was twelve or thirteen. Even at her school the girl would've been the subject of much gossip, little of it good. And until she'd seen him pilot ZEarth, hadn't she looked down on Kirie just a little for his weight.

She'd also heard, if not in words then from the tone of his voice, that Kako thought the system was broken, and with that she had to agree. She also understood that even if she now understood where Kako came from, that people like him, or rather people like he had been, had to be opposed. She believed he agreed with her on that too. Thinking, with her worldview twisting around her, she fell asleep.

Kako listened to Maki snore, her hand still in his. She'd listened while he poured out his soul; he'd held nothing back, and yet she was still here. He took a deep breath, following the flow of air, wondering how many more he would get to take. But while the fear wasn't gone, he now had things with which to balance it. His worldview had expanded to be more than just hate, and he found himself considering the people of this world. They met each other with nods and smiles. The children ran from place to place with glee and excitement, always friendly. How many Chizus were there on this world? How many Makis? How many Kiries? This Earth was a place that was good, and it was worth defending. He didn't want to die, but he'd made his bed, and it was acceptable. Content, he too fell asleep.

* * *

Yawning loudly, Maki stirred to consciousness. It was warmer than usual, and she was content as she rarely was since ZEarth had appeared. Wanting to go back to sleep, yet knowing that today was the first of the battles with MEarth, she forced her eyes open. For a second she was startled and frightened, finding she was spooning with someone who had their arm around her. An arm that she was clutching. Then the night came back to her and she relaxed. During the night Kako had not only spilled his guts her her, she'd done the same, talking about her family and friends, of her all too many concerns about their welfare. He'd listened to her as attentively as she had to him. He wasn't the monster she'd assumed, and they might even be friends.

Gently she tried to extract herself without waking him. She failed, and seeing his confused eyes open said, "Morning."

"Morning." He looked around, and then back to her. Turning red he quickly removed his arm. "Sorry," he gulped. "Sorry."

"My fault," she replied, standing up even as she gave another yawn. "I fell asleep here."

"Before I did," Kako admitted sheepishly. "I was going to wake you, but I was thinking, and then you were waking me up. Sorry."

"Oh well. Not like any damage was done," she said with a grin. "Now you can say you slept with a girl." She paused in that thought, frowning. "Just to make things clear . . . ." She wondered how to proceed.

"I know," Kako hurried to reassure her. "I'm still interested in Chizu, and even if I wasn't, I"m not the type you're looking for." He grinned at her, "You prefer . . . ." He blushed.

Maki blushed as well. "How do you know? Do any of the others know?"

"That woman Kodama stared at yesterday, he wasn't the only one staring. All of us were, but you were in my field of view, and I saw how your stare was more intense then even his was." He shrugged. "No, I can't say for sure, but I don't think anyone else noticed. And if they did, their thoughts got disrupted when his clothes turned invisible. You were the only girl who was totally disinterested in that, by the way."

"Oh. Don 't tell, please." She hated the begging sound in her voice, but she was scared.

"Maki, I swear." His gaze met her eyes, and he smiled at her. "You do know it's not as if they would care. But if you're truly worried about my telling then I release you from the promise you made. If I break mine then . . . ."

Maki shook her head. "No. I keep my promises." She smiled. "And I do believe I can trust you." She looked around the room. "When I get back home, if I get back home, I want a normal life. And gay or not, I want to live as a kid for a bit longer." Her gaze turned towards him. "Does that make sense?"

"Perfect sense. I think that's what most of us are hoping. To get back home, and be kids again. Just with the power to make a few changes for the better." Kako looked around the room. "All of this taught us just how messed up things are."

"For sure." She shuddered. "Was I really that close to getting caught. If Mirror had done to me what she did to Kodama." She went white. "I think I feel sick."

Kako laughed. "I would certainly have enjoyed the view more, but staring wasn't the reason Mirror did that?"

"They why?" She now turned red.

"When he said they were nothing more than filthy ants, it might've been loud enough for the woman to hear. I've looked at their version of the internet, and I noticed something. They allow pretty much anything when it comes to speech except for one thing. You can disagree with someone all you want, and argue with them to your heart's content, but you never use such a degrading insult. They're intellectuals, the whole planet of them, and if you got to resort to insults then you lose."

"Oh," Maki sighed in relief.

"Unlike at home, here they know kids are kids," Kako said. He looked up at her, staring her in the eye. "I like this place. It's worth protecting."

Maki grinned. "I agree." She looked around the room before turning back towards the boy. "Good luck today." It was all she could do.

"Thanks."

* * *

Maki opened the door to leave, hand over her mouth to cover another yawn. She paused, looking into the main room. _Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, . . . ._ She was a girl with clothes disheveled, and bed hair that clearly had not seen a comb yet this morning. And she was coming out of a boy's room. At the moment she also had the undivided attention of every eye in the main room. _Oh crap._ There was nothing she could say that would be believed. For the most part they were now her friends, her companions in arms, but against this those things where worthless. Even at thirteen she knew that. _Oh crap, . . . ._ Steeling herself, she slid the door shut, and walked around the room aware of how every eye was following her. Reaching her own bedroom she hurried in, trying to make it look like she was calm and composed. _Oh crap,_ she kept thinking. Then she paused. _Guess with this my secret is safe._ She gave a short laugh and shook her head.

Kako left his room, and in the way of thirteen-year-old boys headed towards the table without washing his hands, eyes on a pile of food someone had gathered. "Good," he said, grabbing a sandwich. It was certainly different from anything at home, but it filled the stomach and satisfied the taste buds. He looked around, noticing the stares. "What?" he asked. "It is good," he added, holding up the sandwich when the looks didn't waver. "It is," he insisted.

Maki, knowing she had to face the music, stepped out of her room, hair now combed and clothes less disheveled. Once again she became the center of attention.

 _Oh,_ Kako though, _not good._ Pausing to think for a second he nodded at her. "Morning Maki. Thanks for the help last night. When you fell asleep on the floor I think I also fell asleep. Sorry. Hope sleeping there didn't cause you too much discomfort. And thanks for the talk, I was ready to run for the hills again." He smiled at her.

Maki relaxed. Most guys would probably have tried to keep the glory, yet he'd distinctly made it clear that she'd slept on the floor, and they'd talked. While she didn't like lying, this time she was running with it. "A few aches," she replied. "Next time we talk I take the bed and you take the floor."

"Agreed." He turned back to the sandwiches.

 _While a girl's word was worth nothing in this situation, a guy's was worth a lot. Disaster averted,_ Maki mused, and headed towards the sandwiches as well. It wouldn't do to seem like she was avoiding him, besides she was hungry. Around the room people went back to whatever they were doing before she'd made the scene.

"By the way," Kako's voice cut through the room like a knife, drawing everyone's attention. "I asked PinCushion Guy to do something last night. I'm wondering what he came up with." Everyone's eyes now turned toward's Moji.

"If I got to have a nickname, I would prefer Intuition Guy or something," he stated, glaring at the guy who'd mercilessly tortured him the day before.

"Okay, Something, what did you come up with?" Kako grinned.

Moji stood with a sigh, shaking his head. Turning, he faced the whole group. "Obnoxious Boy asked me to see what I came up with for three questions. Here are the results." He held up a chart. "In short when asked, 'Will we win?' I get nothing. When asked, 'Will we lose?' I get nothing. But . . . ." He grinned out at the crowd. "When I asked 'Can we win?' I get a response of seventy percent yes, and thirty percent no. Given the way this system works that means we _can_ win; we just need to figure out how." Around him the moods of people increased. It was hard to believe that the death contraption called MEarth could win any sort of fight, but if their seer said it was possible then it had to be. Conversation levels increased, and while there still wasn't much cheer in the room it was distinctly less dour.

Sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, Mirror nodded and took another sip of something that was similar to hot chocolate. _Waku is the leader,_ she mused, _but Kako was the used car salesman who could sell anything to anyone. Despite the fact MEarth was nowhere near as strong looking as ZEarth, he'd managed to sell the group hope, and they were running with it. He'd also let them know that victory wouldn't come free of charge, that they had to work hard. It was the right balance._ Standing, she walked past the boy, letting a finger momentarily brush across the back of his neck.

"Change to the uniforms without the weights," she ordered, watching as the kids scrambled to obey. Minutes later they disappeared and she was left alone, looking around the room with a worried expression on her face.

* * *

"Whoa, nice travel method," Machi said, playing the part of someone who'd never seen it before. "Where's the game?"

"You're in it," Drop Dead said, floating over to the girl. "Take a seat."

The group looked around. There were fifteen chairs in a circle, with a sixteenth in the center of the circle. Penny, the girl from the night before, was standing beside one of the chairs in the circle. Hearing the command she sat down, looking tired and gloomy. The group followed her lead.

"Rules are, you fight or the planet goes bye-bye," Drop Dead told them, snickering at their expressions. This was a job he clearly loved.

"Pretty nice graphics," Ushiro commented. "Almost looks real."

"it is real," Drop Dead roared. "Now listen up."

"So, are we the good guys or the bad guys in this game?" Kako asked, "Caused you know, I'm really good at playing the bad guy. "Around him the group nodded in agreement, while Moji just scowled at him, hand still wrapped in bandages.

"Who freaking cares. You're all going to die and I'm going to laugh as you do," Drop Dead told them, annoyed at the interruptions.

"I hope this game has some realistic sex scenes," Kako mused aloud. "I'm tired of dying a virgin." He clasped his hands together and bowed his head. "Please, if there is a god, let me have sex in this game." Around him the guys followed suit while the girls looked on in disgust.

"You're all going to die," Drop Dead roared.

"For real?" Anko asked, starting to look a bit worried.

"For real," Drop Dead gloated, moving over the girl. "Dead as a doornail." He cackled, laughing like a banshee. "Uh?" He stopped to look at the kids. "Panic," he told them.

Maki shrugged. "It's not like we got any choice in the matter, is there? So why panic?"

Drop Dead floated above the center chair, looking from one of the kids to the other.

"I hope there're girls in heaven," Kako mused. He looked at Drop Dead. "Are there?"

"How the hell would I know?" The creature didn't sound happy.

"Please tell us the rules," Waku said gently, looking not at Drop Dead but at Penny.

The girl closed her eyes, heaving a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry," she told them, "but this is real." She pointed at the center chair. "That's the pilot seat. Someone has to sit in it and pilot. When the fight is over, win or lose, they die. If they die then their whole world goes with them." Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked around at them. "I'm sorry," she said again. "But I've seen so many worlds, and this mech isn't really good at fighting. I've never seen any world survive using it. I'm sorry." She looked down, avoiding their stares.

"Always a first time for everything," Waku and Moji said together, trying to soothe her. With her dark-blue eyes, dark hair, and olive skin the girl was quite attractive, and clearly the guys were eager to comfort her.

"Okay, okay," Drop Dead muttered. "We get these idiots once in a while who take some time to understand what's going on." He looked at the kids. "You do understand it's you lot I'm calling idiots, right? Please tell me you're not so dumb you can't understand an insult?"

"Are you made of ceramic?" Nakama asked. "I've tried pottery before, but whatever I make never turns out right. Who made you? We could share sob stories."

"No one made me," Drop Dead growled. "And I did turn out right."

"You sure? There's no shame in admitting it," Nakama told him with a comforting smile. "It's not your fault."

"We're starting," Drop Dead muttered savagely. "Next time I want normal kids."

"We're normal" Moji insisted. He pointed at Kako, "He's your regular bully, and as an idiot he's pretty normal as well."

"He's just your everyday PinCushion," Kako countered, pointing back at the boy. "He let me jab him with a needle over three thousand times yesterday, and he didn't even try to stop me." He looked around at the group and shrugged. "I would call that pretty idiotic."

Drop Dead flew over to Moji and studied the bandages on the boy's hand. "You're all crazy," he insisted.

"But there's normal everyday crazy, and then there's crazy crazy," Kanji insisted. "Now my mother, she's crazy crazy, but we're just normal crazy." He smiled at the creature. "See, we're normal. As normal as can be."

"Soon you will be dead as can be, I hope, "Drop Dead said. "Now who wants to die first." The creature rose above the group, clearly hoping to see them fight it out.

"I'll go," Kako said, standing.

"I think I should," Kirie said. "I'm the weak link here." He looked at Drop Dead. "Generally in these types of things the first fights are the easiest, right?"

Komo stood. "If I got to do this, I want to get it over with."

"Stop," Drop Dead screamed, sounding a little crazy himself. He flashed around, looking at the kids one after the other. "Oh, whatever." he finally said. "Just choose so I can get on to the next world."

"If no one wants to get beat up, then you had better take a step back," Kako said, looking at his two challengers. "I'm first." He smiled at them. "It's my turn."

"Well, dead is dead," Komo muttered. "But you got a bad enough reputation as it is without beating up a girl." She sat down.

Kirie looked like he was going to argue, but sat down when Kako glared at him.

"Okay then," Kako smiled, and took the center seat. "Let's see what this pile of . . . ." He frowned. "Can't call it junk because there isn't enough of it to call junk." He snapped his fingers. "I know. Let's see what this ball of twine can do. Still doesn't sound quite right, but what can one do." He shrugged. "And in ten minutes or so, will I really care anyway?"

"None of you will," Drop Dead informed him. "Behold the battlefield," he said mockingly. "Oh crap," he added a second later. The tough looking enemy mech was humanoid with shear-like hands that looked as if they could cut anything. In fact, the enemy mech looked like it had been specifically designed to fight a mech just like MEarth. It had three lights lit up, indicating three fights left. "Not another loss to crap-a-toid," the creature fumed. Turning on the kids, he roared, "Look, I want to be rid you all as much as you all seem to want to be dead, but kill that bastard or else." He pointed at the enemy.

"I take it you've met before?" Komo inquired.

"He's killed us fifty-three times," Penny said. She looked around. "That's fifty-three times out of fifty-three fights. We've never beat him. I'm sorry. With anyone else it would've been quick but he will try to draw it out."

"He added those shears just so he could beat us," Drop Dead fumed.

"He beat us thirty-eight times without them," Penny said with a sigh. "I hardly think he needs them, do you?"

"But . . . ." Drop Dead turned on the kids. "Kill him," he begged. "I just want to beat him once." Now he sounded as if he was sobbing.

"Just how many worlds have you been to?" Waku asked.

"Sixty-three," Penny replied. "From what I can tell, there's no way we should've met that guy so many times." She pointed at the enemy mech. "But they hate each other, and I think they're stalking us."

A screen popped up near the view of the enemy mech, and a creature similar to Drop Dead appeared on it. "So how's it going, ole friend. Ready for number fifty-four?"

"You're not going to win this time," Drop Deam screamed, sounding demented. "You won't."

Waku ignored the two as they threw insults at each other, choosing instead to peer around the enemy cockpit. The pilot was a boy of around ten who seemed to be quite happy as he stared back into their cockpit, looking directly at Kako. Something about him reminded Waku of Kodama, causing him to shudder a little. The boy had to know he was going to die, yet seemed careless of that fact. _He doesn't care,_ Waku realized. _He doesn't care at all if he has to die, just so long as he gets to kill. And he's excited; he's excited that he gets to kill a whole world._

"Are we going to fight or not," Kodama suddenly asked impatiently. "I got a book on construction techniques I want to read, and you stupid morons are wasting my time."

There was a brief silence before Drop Dead said, "Crazy, all of you."

Kako looked around the area, noting with relief that they were in a desert. What world they were on he didn't know, but there were no buildings in sight and no people.

"You have to destroy their cockpit," Penny informed them.

"Where is it?"

"I don't know . . . ." the girl started to say.

"Lower stomach, a little to the right," Moji calmly said, interrupting. "Only long range weapons are the eyes. It's a cutting torch." He paused. "But it's only effective within a kilometer, and it's like a blow torch. Seems like that machine really was built to beat this one."

"How do you know that?" both ceramic looking creatures asked.

"Moji looked up from his cellphone which had an image of the enemy mech on it. "Just intuition," he told them with a smile, and gave the two a little smirk before going back to the phone. On it questions popped up and he intuitively made guesses which the device recorded and compiled, showing a summary. "Legs are pretty tough," he informed them. "But the arms are weak. I'm guessing it's so they can't be tripped, and so they can cut us faster."

* * *

The enemy approached them, moving slowly with the arrogance of a cat about to play with a mouse. Frantically, Kako ordered MEarth to retreat. "The enemy disappeared."

"Huh," Drop Dead stated in shock.

"We've never moved like that before," Penny said, sitting up straight in her chair.

 _Seems wearing those blasted uniforms worked,_ Kako noted. _Feels so light without all that lead that I'm not thinking about how we're in a death trap that's five-hundred meters long, and one-hundred high. More like how it would be on rollerblades._

"If we keep running, who would drop first?" he asked.

"They would," Moji immediately replied.

Waku nodded. "Running takes more energy than driving, and it's like we're in a big wheel. So we just keep running."

"Sheesh," Kodama quietly muttered. He took out his phone, opened it up to the book he wanted, and started reading. "What do you want, pipsqueak?" he asked a few moments later, annoyed with the way Drop Dead was staring at him. "I'm busy. Bug off snotball."

Kako stayed quiet, waiting for the enemy to come in range. It did so quickly, now running. Watching he noted how plumes of sand rose around its feet, and ordered MEarth to spin around in a circle, like playing spin-the-bottle. The boy smiled when a sandstorm rose, hiding MEarth from view, and quickly dashed off, putting distance between them and the enemy.

"Stay put," the pilot of the enemy mech cried. "I'm going to smash you," he added, sounding just like a spoiled rich kid.

Komo blinked and then smiled. "A stupid little kid like you smash us?" she asked sarcastically. She gave a howl of laughter, clearly mocking him. "Are you even potty trained?" She glanced across the room and nodded at Anko and Nakama.

"Does look like he has a diaper on beneath those pants," Anko added, picking up on what Komo wanted.

"We should strip him to see," Nakama mused, smirking at the boy.

"He's just a little toddler," Maki said. "It's only natural he have a diaper on."

Waku nodded, satisfied as the girls worked together to taunt the boy, making him mad. The movements of the enemy mech became more erratic, and that he knew would lessen the time they could spend fighting.

With the enemy rapidly closing in, Kako ordered MEarth to spin again, kicking up another screen of sand to hide them. Picking a direction he had MEarth quickly roll off. If the kid could be driven into a temper tantrum they could win.

"Boys, they're so stupid," Chizu muttered derisively. "Wonder how many times he's had that diaper of his changed today."

"Who knows," Komo shrugged. "I bet his peepee is tiny too. " She paused. "Maybe it's so small that he looks like a girl down there."

"We can check that when we check his diaper," Nakama said.

"Hey, he needs a nickname," Anko stated, sounding excited. "What should we call him?"

"Diaper Boy, of course," Komo, Maki, and Nakama chorused, giggling hysterically.

On the screen the boy had broken down into a fit of screaming about killing and smashing with no coherence at all to his rant. "Shutup," he screamed when his companions tried to quiet him down. "I'm going to smash them like ants," he added, shrieking loudly.

"Ants?" Anko mused. "I wonder who would have the bigger peepee. Him or an ant."

"The ant, of course," Komo, Maki, and Nakama again chorused together.

"If we can find it, let's chop it off," Chizu coldly suggested. "We can show our friends the world's smallest peepee."

The screen flickered off.

"I think it's safe to assume they won't be taking their time with us this time around," Penny said. "He's just going to tear us apart." She looked around, looking a little hopeful. "Maybe if we die fast enough I won't get saved. I will die too." She spoke the hope like a prayer.

Maki blinked, suddenly looking at the girl. "Sixty-three worlds, so you've seen more than eight-hundred people pass through here."

The girl looked back. "They die, and they leave me behind," she simply said, sounding broken.

"If the kid runs out of energy and dies, can they simply switch pilots?" Waku suddenly asked, looking at Drop Dead.

"They can," he replied. "So long as they got a pilot."

"Damn," Waku cursed. "So we can't simply outwait the kid." The boy's stomach twisted in upon itself, and he placed his hand over it. He'd started to hope, and then it'd been dashed. "Ideas, people?" he asked, working to sound confident.

"A large drop?" Kanji suggested, but then shook his head. "No drop would be large enough to hurt these things."

"if we had a map of the area, then who knows," Waku muttered, clenching his fists.

"Oh," Kodama looked up from his phone. "Just check 'current location' on your cell." He went back to his reading.

While Kako turned and twisted around the enemy, keeping him blind, Waku quickly flipped on his phone. "We're on . . . our Earth," he said. "I can download all the maps I want."

"He's getting tired of chasing us," Moji said. "Let him cut a few of the wires on this thing. You know, give him a bit of hope."

"Kay," Kako nodded, and let the sandstorm die down.

MEarth was just a line of wires placed along a few hoops, creating a wire cylinder. Fragile as it seemed it was still a half-kilometer long mech, and while it had no strong points, it also had no especially weak ones; other than, that is, the cockpit that was obvious in the center of the cylinder. Still, to reach it the enemy would have to cut any number of wires, or use the blow torch. Carefully, Kako rolled at the enemy, making sure to keep the center away from the blow torch. From what he could see the head would have trouble turning, so if he . . . . The edge of the cylinder hit the more powerful mech, doing no damage. But it did allow the boy a chance to cut a few of wires along the edge. The blow torch roared out, powerful and eye blinding, burning through several. Kako allowed over a dozen strands of wire to be cut or burned before he twisted away, glad that the enemy had no hands, just shears. Then he created another sandstorm.

"Got it," Waku said, screaming.

"If what you got is catching then stay away," Kako told him, not taking his eyes off the enemy. "Wait," he said, looking thoughtful. "I'm going be dead soon, so does it matter if I catch it?"

"Shutup, and drive north for two-hundred kilometers," Waku told him. "Then go east for twenty more."

Kako nodded. "Sure thing, boss." He grinned. "You know, this is just like school - I'm bullying a kid."

"Lucky us you're good at it," Moji snorted.

"Practice does make perfect," Kako tossed back. "So what's the plan?"

"Just a little something they . . . we built around eighty or ninety years ago. And be careful you don't go too far east." The boy shuddered. "It's very hot. Take out your phone; I'm sending you the map."

Kako nodded, taking out his phone. Glancing between it and the enemy, his eyes widened. "Very hot," he exclaimed. "Think they're heavy enough to break through?"

"They are," came the quick reply from Moji, "I'm sure of it." He beamed a smile at Kako. "Just don't mess up, Obnoxious Boy."

"Don't worry," he shot back. "If I mess up, there won't be any mess left to clean up."

"Hahaha," Moji said sarcastically. "But remember, if there's no mess to clean up, then there might also be no mess for you know who to _fix_ up."

"Oh, . . . ." Kako went silent. "I'll be careful," he promised.

A civilization needs energy, and the people of this Earth had tried many means by which to obtain it. Geothermal was good. For the most part it was clean with what toxins it produced easily managed. But it was also limited, and not always where a prosperous civilization needs it. The answer had been simple, - create more. They'd dug a number of holes, each measuring a half-kilometer or more in diameter, down fifteen to twenty kilometers into the planet's crust. There, where temperatures reached as high as nine-hundred degrees Celsius, they found bountiful amounts of energy. It wasn't perfect, but in the real world few things were. After a while they reached into space to reap the nearly unlimited solar energy of their star. But the holes remained, and were kept in good condition should they ever be needed. They were, however, covered over to be safe and to return the land above to a somewhat natural state.

It was simple, Kako merely waited on the far side of such a hole, and waited for the enraged enemy to approach. The mech of the enemy was strong, and it's armor thick. It was also heavily heat-resistant. The fall didn't kill those inside, nor did the heat immediately finish them off. It was a wait of three hours before the end came, and victory was declared. The whole time Drop Dead flew around the room like a crazed bumblebee.

* * *

"Seems that's it," Kako said, sitting back in the pilot's chair, relaxing. "Weird. I don't know if those three hours were good or bad. Living longer is good for sure, but the wait was just agony." He sighed, and stood up.

"Panic," Drop Dead said, dropping down beside him. "Scream. Beg for your life."

Kako walked past the creature to stand in front of Kirie. "Thank you for being my friend," he said, and kneeling, gave the boy a hug. "I'm sorry I was such a . . . . Well, let's not scrimp on words now. I'm sorry I was such a bastard, Kirie. Never let anyone say that you're less than a great friend."

He stood and moved on to Maki. "Thank you for that talk. It saved what little dignity I had left. Thank you." He gave her a smile.

Turning, he then approached Chizu. There he knelt with his head touching the floor. "Words can't make up for what I did, but I am sorry Chizu."

He stayed there, kneeling, wishing he had some way to make it up to her, knowing it was futile. Each breath he took the boy studied it in extensive detail, glad for it. The wondrous sensation as each flowed in through his nostrils, and filled his chest. That it wasn't like last time he was grateful. There was no pain as he held each wondrous breath in, and slowly exhaled it. Then there was darkness.

The kids sat staring. It wasn't as if this was the first time they'd seen this happen, but now each of them knew what it was like. They'd each sat in the chair and piloted a mech. They'd each killed, destroying a world and with it all its people. And they knew that each of them would again sit there only to repeat those horrible crimes. They'd chosen this all too aware of what would occur, but now they doubted that decision. Were their dreams and hopes worth the cost? Play the game, or not play the game, either way a world would end, but when they played the game the blood was on their hands. And it wasn't as if they were strangers anymore. They knew each other. That some unknown girl had promised they would live now seemed a faint hope.

breathe, . . . .

Maki sighed, closing her eyes. "It had to be," she said firmly, knowing the thing she fought for was her baby brother. She left her chair to kneel beside the corpse, and took his hand into hers, recalling how they'd talked the night before, confiding and trusting. That they'd slept together, and how she'd awoke feeling so warm, knowing it was safe to joke with him.

breathe, . . . .

Kirie left his chair in shock. It was the second time he'd had to face the death of his friend; that he'd been through it once before didn't lessen the agony that now gripped his heart. He also knelt beside the boy, and let the tears run down his face.

breathe,. . . .

Chizu sat, staring with a heart that was too heavy for her to bear. _Why am I here?_ she asked herself, and the answer came, _to pay for what you did._ This, she decided, was indeed a fitting punishment.

breathe, . . . .

Penny stood as well. In her world there was rarely anything to be happy about. Win or lose, the people she knew died. She'd long stopped trying to remember their names, nor could she ever hope to recall all their faces. But this time the boy who'd piloted this accursed machine had stopped the monster who stalked them. Maybe now he would stop. Maybe now those poor souls who had to sit in those chairs would at least have time to comprehend what was happening. She wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or not, but this was the child who'd made it possible. "Thank you," she quietly whispered into his ear, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She blinked in surprise. "He's not dead," she stated, shocked, looking around.

"What?" demanded Drop Dead who'd been happily savoring his victory by watching the grief of the children.

Kako opened his eyes, blinking. He recalled the futile act of trying to breathe and the despair that'd gripped him. Blinking again he realized that the warmth he'd felt had been Maki taking his hand, while the wetness had been Kirie crying. And the breath that'd filled his lungs? He looked up into the pretty, green eyes of the girl above him and smiled. "Dead or not dead, that was my first kiss. No way was I missing that."

"Damn kids," Drop Dead shrieked in outrage, trembling with fury. "Stop playing your fucking mind games with my fucking head."

The group collapsed to the ground as they appeared back in their apartment, the chairs having vanished from beneath them.

* * *

Kodama silently paced through the skyway, cursing Kako under his breath. For as long as he could remember he'd loved to play God with those beneath him, and today was no exception. In fact, today he'd expected to watch the most delicious prey of all die - a human. That'd been snatched away from him. Things had been going so well. That bastard had taken the seat, and for all the joking around the boy must have known he was going to die. It'd been fun to watch. It'd also been fun teasing Drop Dead. Certainly, seeing the dumb creature bounce around like some ceramic clown had been pretty cool. Then the battle had ended, heralding in the moment of truth. He wasn't sure why Maki had cried, and as for Kirie that guy must have a few screws lose to weep over the prick who'd bullied him for so long. Still, the misery had been exquisite, much like a fine meal. He'd drank it all in, savoring it. Then there'd been the corpse, that rotting piece of meat that was all that was left of a worthless piece of trash. He'd inhaled the scent of death, and known that the guy had suffered, that even as he'd joked, inside he must have suffered. Then that asshole had turned out not to be dead. What a freaking joke.

The boy gritted his teeth, struggling to contain the curses he wanted to scream at the world. It just wouldn't do. Sure they knew he'd killed a crab at the beach, and had taken a little harmless sport in crushing a few thousand insects when he'd piloted ZEarth, but he wasn't so sure they would understand this. Not being the chosen how could they? A die was rolled, and people died. That was the way of things. Only the chosen stood above that. For as long as he could remember that was the way of things. He recalled his time as a child, killing what he could. Pigeons by the thousands had fallen beneath his air gun. A few cats and dogs had been maimed. It was natural. Once he'd visited all the pet stores in the city buying a single puppy or kitten from each. Those he'd played with, slicing them open to see what they were like inside, or just jabbing them with a knitting needle to hear their cries of pain, of terror. It was the way of things. The strong preyed on the weak, and he as the chosen was the strongest of them all. Fate decreed it.

Standing still, Kodama looked down at the greenery below. Down there there had to be something to met the need that drove him, the divine obligation of a God to judge that which is beneath them. But did these people have cameras?

* * *

Chizu sat in her room, hand gently resting on her stomach, recalling the way Kako had woke up. Mirror claimed that some few people had a life force strong enough to pilot a mech and survive. That the boy must have stood at the brink of death, and it was only the kiss that saved him. Slight as it was, some of Penny's life force had entered Kako through that contact, and it'd been enough to tip the scales for the dying boy. That it was a one-in-a-million miracle.

The girl closed her eyes, faintly smiling. Surely it was okay for her to be happy that the boy was alive, wasn't it? Bad as she was, surely that was okay?

Chizu tilted her head, wondering how he was doing. Even if alive, he was still recovering in his room. Maybe she could visit him, and they could talk? She'd known him back in elementary school for a bit. There he hadn't been a bully, just one of the kids. He'd even seemed nice. When the others had stopped talking to her for being a tattle tale he'd actually started. It was only in seventh grade that he'd become one of the bullies. Still, they'd known each other for a while, and maybe . . . . She shook her head. No. There was no way a visit would be okay.

Hand still resting gently on her stomach she considered his apology, puzzled by it.

A knock disrupted her thoughts. Opening the door she saw Kodama there, and couldn't quite suppress the tired sigh she made. He'd been following her around for a bit now, and she knew what it was. Sex, with boys it was always sex. _But who am I to judge,_ she thought, hand again gently brushing against her stomach. Wearily she started to ask what he wanted, to get him to leave.

"Hello," Kodama said, brushing quickly pass the girl before she could say a word. With his heel he slid the door shut. He studied her, excitement growing in him. This wasn't a cat, or a dog, and certainly not a pigeon. He gulped, eyes bright with exhilaration, with anticipation.

Chizu frowned, backing away, eyeing the door behind the boy. Trembling, knowing what was to come, she faced him, and took another step back. From his eyes she knew this wasn't about sex. In them she saw something bright, bright yet terrifyingly dark. She raised her hand to strike him, to make a dash for the door, and stopped. In her mind she saw the corpse of Kako when she'd killed him. Then her mind was flipping through all the things she'd done, all the things she regretted. Her sister, her father, her mother, her friends, . . . all those she'd betrayed. The people she knew who would never forgive her, who never could. _I'm a bad girl,_ she thought, and lowered her hand, in some way savoring what was to come.

Kodama studied the girl, licking his lips. He'd followed her around for a bit during the last day or so, excited by her, yet puzzled by that excitement. It wasn't that he lusted after her. She was sort of cute, but nowhere near as beautiful as someone like Anko. it'd taken him a while to figure out that, like the animals he'd played with, she was shrieking in pain. Hide it as she may, she had the same look as the kittens he'd used that knitting needle on; that look of torment that always created a warmth within him. The others he knew wouldn't understand, and might even try to stop him, but with her that didn't matter because she wouldn't tell. His instincts told him that, confirming he had the right to judge her.

His first punch took her in the solar plexus, causing her to bend over, desperately gasping. He started to raise his knee, to crush her nose and shatter her teeth, her jaw; but held back, not wanting to leave visible marks on her. It took a second for him to resist that impulse, watching as she struggled on the floor to breathe. Panting, he started to strip her. Cute or not, that didn't mean he couldn't have his way with her. For him it would be fun; for her it would be anything but.

Something was wrong. Kodama watched the girl, knowing she was in hell, and he was the one who'd put her there. He was inside her, making her submit, to acknowledge him as the chosen who had absolute dominion over her, yet the excitement in him wasn't burning as it should. Furious, he studied her blank expression, those emotionless eyes, letting the rage in him build. Reaching he grabbed her chest, annoyed with how flat she was, and it caused him to wonder how others could find her so attractive. His fingers dug into her flesh, pushed by all the forced he could muster, and then he squeezed, making it appear as if she actually did have breasts. At least before the skin turned purple and blue and red. Inside him the fire started to burn, and he thrust into her again. When blood started to form in drops at her nipples he shuddered in ecstasy. When those ever so bright-red spots grew, running down over her chest, the rapture took him. The girl's shrieks rang loudly in his ears, vibrating his whole soul as the music of the gods sang to him.

* * *

End of Chapter

In the anime Kako is no worse than Ushiro, so I think he can be redeemed. Sure what he did was BAD, but Ushiro was beating up on a kid practically every day, which is also BAD.

Kako's talk of virginity while in MEarth, btw, was just another way of saying Maki's virtue was still intact.

I think you can already tell who the bad buy of the group is going to be.


	4. Shattering of Illusion

_**Trigger Warning:**_ Once again, last few (three) paragraphs contain graphic scenes of sexual violence. Be warned.

 _Time: The following morning._

* * *

 _ **Shattering of Illusion**_

Daichi opened the cooler, checked its contents, and made a note to make more sandwiches. _Or rather print them,_ the boy mused. He doubted there were many fridges on this world. What use would they be when food was printed on demand via 3D printers, with the leftovers tossed into the attached bin for recycling. From what he understood the same applied to diapers, which was a fact that bothered him a little. With three siblings he knew all too well the state a diaper could be in before it was changed, and the thought that it would be recycled into food gave him the shudders. Technically he knew the same applied to his world; food became waste, which became fertilizer, which became plants, which became the vegetables on the table. Still it bothered him. Of course there were no kids quite that young with them, but each time he sat on a toilet . . . . He shuddered, resolving to never check whether or not _that_ ended up in the bin of the 3D printer. He knew it did, somehow, but if he didn't check then he could beg ignorance, and that suited him just fine.

He moved on, checking the drinks next. Making sure there was enough for the kids to eat and drink was something he'd started doing almost by instinct. With three siblings it was just a continuation of what he did at home. And while there was that 3D printer in the storage room, it didn't mean everyone cared to put in the effort to learn how to use it, or to read the labels on a hundred different food items to see if it was good for them or not. Given they were kids, he doubted they even cared if something was good for them. They would probably go with what tasted good and drink nothing but soda or, heaven forbid, beer. So he'd started. Fruits and vegetables weren't a big thing here. With food being printed rather than grown that was natural, or perhaps unnatural if you thought about it, but kids still needed the minerals and vitamins that generally came from fruits and vegetables. With plenty of online help, he'd worked out how to make sure the kids, as he thought of them though he was only fourteen himself, were eating healthy.

Then there was Chizu. While he had no idea whether the baby would be born or aborted, he knew good nutrition for the mother was important. And should she have the child he wanted it to at least start life healthy. Daichi shook his head sadly, knowing that the girl was way too young to give birth, that it entailed risks no one that age should undertake. Unable to do more he'd looked through the online information he could find, and did research on what foods a young mother to be should eat. Iron was important, so he'd made sure many foods were rich in it. High blood pressure was a risk, so he made sure to include items that helped keep said blood pressure under control. At least the girl wasn't fussy about what she ate. Still, he knew she should be under the care of a doctor, a pediatrician, and he worried. The body of a twelve-year-old wasn't meant for sex, nor that of a thirteen-year-old for giving birth.

Clenching his fists, wishing a certain teacher's neck was between them, the boy took a deep breath, and continued on with his list. Seeing Maki take a plate of food towards Kako's door, he made a note to print more pain killers, or rather pain suppressors as the people here called them. That the two had become friends surprised him. He was sure Maki wasn't into guys, and Kako had a reputation for . . . . Well, not being nice. Still, for the short time they'd been on this foreign Earth the guy had been rather pleasant to talk to, and more than helpful. He'd also proven to be quite the pilot. Of course there was the question of just how and where he'd managed to get kicked like that.

Closing the notepad on his phone, he looked around the room. In one corner Anko and Kanji were sitting together sharing a bowl of chips, or rather what passed for chips on this world. The two were blushing frequently, and obviously deliberately _accidently_ touching hands when each reached into the bowl. _Now that's what being thirteen is meant to be like,_ Daichi mused with a grin. Seeing at least two of his friends acting like kids made him happy. Then there was Machi and Ushiro. The two of them were sitting at the main table examining the model of MEarth that was still there. They too seemed to be getting along rather well, sitting closer together than you would normally expect. In reality he was surprised the group was getting along as well as it was. They were all kids who'd been randomly brought together and put through a trauma that must've left a few marks. Despite that the only one he truly worried about was Chizu. That, and who the next pilot would be.

Nodding, content that his domain was in order, Daichi shoved his phone into a pocket, and headed over to Moji. He also was sitting at the main table, looking at the MEarth model. "Wonder why this thing has no weapons?" Daichi mused, studying the model himself. "Seems sort of one-sided if you ask me."

"No idea. We got lucky last time." Moji didn't bother to look up as he continued to tap at his cell phone, using his intuition to find answers regarding their next fight. It was a tiresome process when he had to ask himself the same question a hundred or more times, studying what his instincts told him each of those times. The answer those instincts told him was right most often was what the group went with. So far it hadn't failed them.

"How often do you think we can get lucky?" Daichi leaned over the table, peering at the model as if by sheer willpower he could make it sprout weapons. Preferably something large and powerful, like a cannon that shot hydrogen bombs.

"I'm pretty sure it won't less than 0," Moji said, attempting a bit of humor.

"Haha," Daichi replied, smiling. "If we'd known how to use your skills when we were in ZEarth it would certainly have helped." He studied the boy. "Why did you decide to accept the deal? You could be back home using that power of yours to figure out if a girl likes you or something."

"I could ask the same of you. It's not as though you had anyone who died. You could be back with your family."

"I could," Daichi admitted, wondering for the millionth time if he'd made the right decision, knowing it was the only one he could've made. "But the way I see it is you don't just abandon friends. And . . . ." He went silence, unsure of what to say.

"You see us as a family," Moji said, smiling at the guy. "You feed us, and worry over us. Probably more so than some of our parents did." He shrugged. "Just so you know, we appreciate it."

"Well, . . . ." Daichi blushed. "You know, got to make busy work while we're here or we'll go crazy."

Moji nodded. "I'm glad you came along," he admitted. "I came because I knew I would be needed. Still not sure what's up with this deal, but when I ask if it's good or bad, I get the answer good most of the time." His eyes slid over to the room where Mirror usually stayed. "But I'm not too sure on that. If they, you know, might be rigging it."

"You think they can?"

"I do. When I asked if it's rigged the answer is no, but when I ask if they could rig it the answer is yes."

"Oh." Daichi frowned. While he was pretty sure Machi and Ushiro knew more about the deals that'd been made, Sakura and Mirror had been pretty secretive with the rest of the group. "What else do you get on them?"

"Zilch. Most times my intuition doesn't work on them."

"Pity." The boy was quiet for a few seconds, thinking. Finally he took a deep breath and asked, "What about the masterminds? Anything on them?"

"Nothing. While it's great at times, this intuition thing is sometimes a pain. Never know when it's going to work. Can't even get any results about our next opponent."

"Multiverse," a voice said behind them.

Moji and Daichi both jumped, turning to see Mirror looking down at the model of MEarth with them. Both, wondering if the girl had heard them talking about her and Sakura, developed sweaty hands, along with something of a tummy ache.

"Your intuition works great on things that are in the same universe, but trying to see what's going on in others is a waste of time. That is unless you can observe something from that universe." The girl's eyes glazed over for a second before her focus returned to the two. "I don't suppose you've heard about Schrödinger's cat?" she asked. "Probably not. It's a bit above what seventh graders would learn about. But other universes are like a closed box. You can't see what's inside. You need to open the box first."

"Hrm . . . ." Moji struggled to think of how that affected them. "How do I open a box?"

"If you're not there, then you need to use an object that's from there. Take for example the mechs you fight. When they're in their own universe they're in a closed box. You can't see anything. When they're here they're in a box that's open to you and you can use your intuition. The same with Sakura," she told them with a grin. "When she's here you can _try_ to use your intuition on her, but I suggest you not get too nosey and ask embarrassing questions. She would know about that, and just might take offense."

"Oh," Moji gulped. "Why could I see who the last pilot was going to be?" he asked. "Was pretty sure it was going to be Kako last time, and it was. But now, . . . ." He shrugged helplessly.

"Kako is in this universe, and was going to ask to be first regardless. " The girl tilted her head, thinking. "I would suggest the first question you ask when you're called to a fight is, 'who would be best for the fight?' At that time the mech you'll be fighting will be here, as well as all of you. Just keep Machi for the last battle."

"Why?"

Mirror shrugged. "One more question," she told them.

"Ummm." Daichi and Moki both struggled to think.

Moji's eyes lit up. "But my intuition has worked before when stuff wasn't in this universe," he stated. "When I asked if we had a chance."

Mirror's eyes flickered from the left to the right, then she leaned in close, whispering to Moji only. "It's true you do have a chance. Be assured of that. But only if you have confidence in yourselves and work hard. That was Sakura meddling with the results." She leaned away.

"Oh." Moji gulped. "Oh." He firmly shut his mouth, keeping his eyes away from Daichi's, not wanting to let the secret out.

"You're boys, right?" the girl said, suddenly smirking. "You tend to do gross stuff, like eat worms and all that?"

"Well, I think we're a little too old to eat earthworms," Daichi said. "Though you know, I have tried them. So long as all the dirt is washed off, and they're well fried, they're actually pretty good."

"Well, I dare you to top that."

"Hrm." Moji looked at Daichi and both shrugged.

Mirror held out the index finger of her left hand and wiggled it. "Don't worry, it's all washed and clean, so no germs," she told them, still smirking. "And no, I don't have the cooties or anything like that." Then, with a pocket knife that appeared in her right hand, she pricked the finger. A tiny drop of blood formed and dropped to the table where it bounced a few times. "I dare the next pilot to see if they like the taste of blood," the girl said, one eyebrow raised as she studied them.

"Ummmm." Daichi, wondering how a drop of blood could bounce, reached out and touched it. It was soft, but not wet, the texture being that of a gummy bear. "What is it?" he asked, looking up at the girl with a raised eyebrow of his own.

"A dare, of course," Mirror replied. "But only for the next pilot." She tilted her head again, eyes becoming unfocused as if she saw something no one else could. "An hour and the next fight will start," she simply said, turning to leave the group.

"Strange girl," Daichi said, fingering the 'drop of blood' again.

"Very," Moji agreed, waiting to make sure the girl was safely out of hearing range before he spoke. Not that he believe that was of any help.

* * *

"You're late," Kako said sharply, glaring at Drop Dead.

"Huh?" The creature floated down to peer at the boy.

"You were supposed to call us," Kako looked at his phone, "six minutes ago, weren't you?"

"Well, yes I was but . . . . Wait, how do you know what time the fight was for?"

Kako shrugged. "Who cares? The fact is you were late. Don't you have any sense of professionalism at all?" The boy took his seat, crossing his arm, not looking happy.

"Well, . . . ." Drop Dead flew away, deciding to ignore the boy. "Who dies today?" he asked with glee, knowing that would cheer him up.

Moji looked up from his phone to discretely point at Daichi.

 _Ah drats,_ the chosen boy quietly grumbled, and recalling what the strange girl had said, reluctantly slipped the red drop of blood into his mouth. It tasted like strawberries. Sweet, and juicy. "Guess that's me," he said.

"Panic, scream, beg, . . . ." Drop Dead ordered, sounding as if he was the one begging.

"Guys, last fight was a little long so I brought snacks incase we need them," was the only response the boy made. He turned towards Penny, turning a little red. "If you want I added enough for you, so don't be shy." He gave her a smile, forcing his eyes to meet her eyes. For some reason they wanted to remain on her chest, or her legs, especially her legs. "Didn't know what you like, but there's quite a variety." He turned to Chizu. "I added some of those drinks you like, so be sure to have one."

"Cry," Drop Dead begged.

"Humanoid, not especially tough, but pretty dangerous," Moji said, casually placing the phone in his lap for a second so he could crack his fingers. "Can't find the cockpit, but I'll keep working on it."

"How can you know that?" the creature asked, and was ignored.

"Thanks," Daichi replied, sitting in the center chair. "Not sure how that helps us since this blasted thing has no weapons."

"True. I feel like we should sue someone or something," Kako said, glaring at Drop Dead again. "Are you to blame for that?" he asked, making it a demand.

"No, see worlds have ranks," the creature started to reply. "Lower rank worlds get less powerful mechs." Briefly he wondered why he was answering. He was the boss.

"Who do we sue over it?" Anko asked, sounding serious. "Might be different universes, but they're all human, aren't they? Humans _always_ have lawyers. It's in our DNA."

"No one. Now . . . ."

"We're forgetting something important," Maki said sharply, snapping her fingers.

"Oh right," Komo added. "We got to give them nicknames."

"What?" Drop Dead was confused.

Komo turned to looked at Kodama. "What was it you called him yesterday? she asked.

"Snotball," the boy replied. "it suits him. I mean what else can you call it?" He pointed and shrugged.

"Any other suggestions?" Maki asked, frowning when she looked around and saw everyone's blank look. "Come on people, he's made of ceramic or something. Doesn't really fit with snotball."

"Dried Snot," Ushiro mused, giving it some serious thought. "Whatever you call it, it does look like snot, so . . . ." He shrugged.

Maki sighed, looking distressed. "Whatever," she finally said. "Let's take a vote. Who's for snotball?" Eight of the group raised their hands which the girl slowly counted.

"Snotball it is then," she said. "Dumb name, but . . . ." she shrugged as well.

"You do realize one of you is going to die today, right?" Drop Dead asked. "And that I could just kill you all."

"How long were you waiting for pilots?" Kako asked.

"Not that long."

"More than six months," Penny spoke up, agreeing with Drop Dead that this group was crazy. But they were also interesting. She might even remember them for a while before they vanished amidst all the other faces.

"You probably got lucky," Kako said. "Next wait might be a year. It'll all be gone by then. Poof, vanished. No more universe. You don't want to be known as the guy who can't get the job done do you? First being late, and then not getting pilots. I'll bet you'll get fired."

Drop Dead froze in the air, causing Kako to grin. Whoever the masterminds were they didn't seem like nice guys, and he figured getting rid of an underling or two wasn't above them. It seemed he was right. "So what is it, Snotball?" he asked. "Getting rid of us?"

Drop Dead bounced around the room, wanting to make them all disappear. Eventually he calmed down.

Penny gritted her teeth, struggling not to giggle at the sight. _Strange indeed,_ she told herself, feeling amused for the first time since she could remember.

"Get ready," Drop Dead muttered, sounding rather glum.

"Wait," Daichi shouted.

"Ready to beg?" Drop Dead asked, immediately dropping down beside the boy. "Beg."

"Are we going to give Penny a nickname?" the boy asked.

Penny blinked, wondering if she liked the idea. If the boss was Snotball then she hated to think what she would be called, but it was something new.

"Huh?" Drop Dead asked, dropping down to rest on the floor.

"Well, Penny is a pretty name as it is," Anko said, looking at the girl under discussion.

"It is," Daichi agreed, refusing to stare at the girl's breasts or her legs.

Maki started to grin, and raised an eyebrow. The grin turned into a smirk. "What do you suggest?" she asked.

"I don't know," the boy answered, suddenly red-faced.

"I'm sure you had something in mind," Maki retorted. "What was it?"

"Well, . . . ." Daichi looked at the floor. "Right now I feel like dying," he told them, face getting even redder.

"Speak up," the girl demanded.

Moji, knowing all the banter was to delay the battle, giving him time to _divine_ what they needed to know about the enemy, looked up and tried to see if he could guess. "Cutie," he said, immediately knowing it was the answer.

"Damn you," Daichi said, glaring at the boy while all around him the group broke down in laughter. Maki even slipped from her chair.

Penny blinked, confused by the name and by the actions of this group of kids. _Insane,_ she decided, _but I like them._ Then the girl cringed, knowing liking a group only made their deaths harder to bear. She figured her misery, the unending pain of loss, was the only reason she was kept around. It was to amuse Drop Dead.

"Cutie?" Maki teased, snorting as she giggled. "it does fit," she added, "But really?"

"I was just making a suggestion," Daichi countered. "I was figuring you girls would come up with something."

"Cutie it is," Komo suddenly declared. "I mean, come on, if something can get us laughing this much when we're all going to die, . . . ." The girl shrugged. "it'll be a good reminder that we can laugh, and I agree, she is really cute. Wish I had those eyes."

"Nicknames given, Maki stated happily. "What's next on the list?"

"Your friend dying," Drop Dead suggested hopefully.

Maki shooed him away. "Is that it?" she asked.

Daichi cringed, still burning a bright red. _Ah hell,_ he told himself, and looked up at Penny. "So, do you give kisses to all the boys who win, or was Kako somehow special?"

Penny, or rather Cutie, blushed. "Given how it worked last time, I might make it a habit," she told him, voice wavering a bit.

Daichi gulped. "Dead or alive, I think that would make my day."

"Dead is the only option," Drop Dead told the boy, not expecting anyone to listen to him.

* * *

"Guess it's time to fight," Daichi said, looking out at the enemy mech. With five pilot lights still lit up it was, as Moji had predicted, humanoid. It also didn't look very tough. It did, however, have around thirty cockpits decorating its surface. There were four on each arm and leg, as well as four on the head. On the torso were several more. "So many fake ones?" the boy asked. "Is that why you can't find the right cockpit?" He was glad they were in the same desert as before, or a very similar one with no people in sight.

"No. I shouldn't be affected by those." Moji didn't look up. "It's got lasers in each arm, as well several missile launchers. Max of six missiles per arm. Those tubes on the back are larger missiles." He gulped nervously. "Don't let them hit us; they're in the high megaton range."

"Jeepers," Daichi said, shaking his head. "You know, when I was looking at MEarth earlier, I was wishing it had H-bombs. Now I find that's what the enemy has."

"Jinxer," Komo taunted.

"Yeah yeah," he shot back. "Guess that'll teach me to make wishes."

Even though they'd never seen it before in ZEarth, once again a screen popped up beside the image of the enemy mech.

"Ready to lose, Drop Dead?" another snotball type creature asked. "Heard you broke your losing streak last time around."

"Actually, I want to lose," Drop Dead replied. "These kids are crazy."

"Look at the moron they got for a pilot," a young man in what appeared to be a black military uniform snickered. "He looks too stupid to even know how to talk."

"Lazy looking bugger," another man added, also snickering. "Wonder who changes his diaper."

"Probably a queer," a third added with a scornful look.

"Bet he has a small dick," another interjected, gazing at Daichi derisively.

"We'll crush him like a worm," another said contemptuously.

Daichi nodded to himself. "I see," he said, reaching down to pull a bar out of the bag he'd brought. "Taking a bite," he gazed back at the enemy pilots with the serenity of buddha himself.

Waku studied the enemy pilots, glad Daichi had been the pilot chosen. These people were trying to play the game they themselves had played with that kid pilot last time, but Daichi was used to dealing with three younger siblings. Of all of them he was best suited for this. Now if only Moji could find the enemy's cockpit, and if only this thing had weapons.

Moji chewed the chocolatey tasting mouthful of bar, savoring it. With the kids it was a favorite, though little did they know the people of this world had managed to pack it full of nutrition. He swallowed, and pointed to the first pilot. "A question to the smart-looking guy," he said. "If I'm too dumb to talk how would I know what you're saying? Would be pretty stupid to try to insult someone when they can't understand you?" The boy slowly shook his head and sighed. "Not smart dude, not smart."

"Moron," the other pilot snarled.

"Yes you are," Daichi serenely agreed, "not to mention rude. Now on to the guy who said I looked lazy." His eyes roamed over the pilot in question, not missing a detail. "Who tied your shoelaces for you?" he asked. "A person can tell if someone tied their own shoelaces by the way the bows are tied. And you clearly didn't tie your own." Daichi gave a deep sigh, radiating the aura of someone with great patience dealing with a ruly child. "Guess it's too late to learn now, kid. Sorry."

He turned to look at the other two pilots. "And please stop looking at my crotch," he told them. "It's okay if you're into that sort of thing, but play with each other." He glanced towards Penny for a second, grinning. "Besides, I got the promise of a very cute girl that she'll kiss me if I win. Be damned if I'm letting a bunch of blubbering clowns mess that up."

Moji shook his head. "I've tried and tried," he told the group in a whisper. "But each time I ask where the enemy cockpit is my intuition fizzles."

Drop Dead looked around, noted that Daichi wasn't getting riled up as he'd hoped, and switched off the link to the other mech. From what it seemed it was the other pilots who were getting pissed. Still, he knew he would soon be rid of the crazy bunch.

* * *

"Run," Moji said, and pointed. "That way. Keep five kilometer or so ahead of them."

Daichi nodded, giving the command. MEarth rolled off. moving quickly with the enemy in pursuit. Lasers struck around them, mostly missing.

Waku, leaning forward in his chair, followed the action. At five kilometers he knew the other mech would find it hard to hit a fast moving MEarth. They would hit some, but the distance was also close enough it might make the enemy reluctant to use their big weapons, the H-bombs. He shuddered, wondering just how big those nukes were.

Daichi kept going in the direction indicated by Moji, finding that MEarth was much easier to control than ZEarth had been. Briefly he wondered if it was due to the weight training, or perhaps that MEarth itself was lighter. Whatever it was, they were way faster than the enemy. When the enemy stopped he stopped, frowning as lasers tore into them.

"Damn," Waku muttered under his breath. "If we open the distance they used the big guns; if we stay here they tear us apart with their lasers. Circle them."

"Will do," Daichi replied, and sent MEarth moving again, now circling the enemy as fast as he could. The terrain blurred past, and while some of the lasers still hit, most didn't. Still, they were taking damage when the other mech wasn't. If this kept up there could be only one result. And what if they got in a lucky strike, one that hit their all too visible cockpit?

"Missiles coming," Moji said. "Just keep circling for now."

They came, two at a time, until all twelve of the enemy's smaller missiles had been used up. Striking the ground around MEarth they blasted up mushroom-shaped clouds. Still MEarth rolled on.

"Holy shit," Kako gasped. "Those were nukes."

"Indeed," Waku replied, speaking barely loud enough for the others to hear. He was studying MEarth's condition, and was surprised to find it was still in fairly good shape. Quite a few of the wires that formed the cylinder were broke, but it seemed so long as they had enough to hold together they were fine. One of the hoops that the wires attached to was badly bent, but there were others to help MEarth keep its shape. "Not so fragile after all," he told the others. "No strong spots, but any one hit only damages a tiny fraction of the whole. It'll take quite a few strikes to kill us. He looked at Machi, "When this fight is over make a model of this thing and do some tests. See just how bad we can be damaged and still fight."

Machi nodded. "Will do."

Komo, replaying the nuclear attack in her mind, hesitantly spoke, "Not being solid actually helped. I think. The blasts were partly stopped by the wires, but the gaps between them let the rest of explosion pass through." Her face turned grim. "But notice how our cockpit is damaged, or at least discolored," she told them, cringing.

"Yeah," Waku replied, cringing as well.

"So I just keep circling?" Daichi asked, still commanding MEarth to move for all it was worth. "At this rate we'll die eventually." He watched as more wires snapped, hit by lasers.

"It's okay," Waku said. "For now at least. We got a few minutes to spare to figure things out." He looked over at Moji.

"The big nukes are unguided, just like the small ones. But they're a lot bigger." Moji looked up. "I don't know what to do."

"Good," Drop Dead snarled. "I hate you blasted kids."

"Quiet, Snotball," Maki said, shooing him away again. "We're busy."

Waku gave a sigh, gritting his teeth. "Unguided you say?" he asked, face white.

Moji nodded. "Yeah."

Waku grimaced, face still white. "Here's what you do," he told Daichi. "We're going to open the distance."

"They'll shoot those things at us," the boy warned, interrupting.

"Of course they will," Waku said, "but not until we're so far away that they themselves won't take damage. That's going to be quite a distance. In fact, if they try to play it safe they'll let us get a bit further than that. Now we're fast, so as soon as they shoot make a ninety-degree turn and run. Put on all the speed you can, and pray, and run and . . . . " He took a deep breath. "If they let us open the distance enough, if those missiles are slow enough, if we're fast enough." He looked over at Moji.

"Do it," the boy said. "My intuition says they will use those nukes soon even if we are close." He shooked his head, puzzled. "For some reason they're not too worried about taking damage." He looked up, "Hurry."

Daichi nodded, already ordering MEarth to sprint forward. "Just like a video game," he told himself. "Just wish I'd played a few more of them." His eyes froze, drawn to something. A city. "I'm turning," he said.

"No." Moji's voice cut through the cockpit like a knife. "It's empty, evacuated."

Daichi shook his head, almost in a daze. "You sure?"

"Yes."

With no time to think, the boy kept the mech hurling towards the city. In his mind he saw people dying by the millions, maybe the hundreds of millions. Then they entered the gap between two of the mighty structures this world used as buildings.

"Missile launch," Waku yelled.

Daichi made a ninety-degree turn and ran, knowing they were doomed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Penny sitting in her chair with a frown on her face. Seeing her there, her green eyes looking so sad, he pushed the mech as fast as he could, demanding it move faster than it ever did before. MEarth obeyed.

"Hide," Waku commanded.

MEarth, at the command of its pilot, ground to a halt, hiding behind a building decorated with a three-kilometer tall mermaid.

Daichi waited, sweating profusely as he counted the seconds. "Well?" he asked frantically, sounding puzzled. "Where's the explosion?" He felt a tremor, but saw nothing.

"Done and gone," Kodama told him, yawning before going back to his book.

"Run," Moji yelled again.

Daichi, unsure of what was happening obeyed. Three minutes later when Waku yelled hide he twisted MEarth behind another building. Again he saw and felt nothing other than a moderate tremor. "Guys," he said, eyes still on the screen, "I know I'm the pilot and all, but what's going on?"

"What the fuck are those building made out of?" Drop Dead roared, trembling in fury.

"An artificial-diamond lattice," Kodama said. "There're other things between the lattice structure but, . . . ." He shrugged. "Let's just say it's pretty tough."

"But those missiles were five-hundred megatons," Drop Dead wailed. "I don't care what they were made of."

Daichi blinked. "Five-hundred megatons?" The boy turned white, gulping.

"They're holding off on their last missile," Moji said, clicking frenetically at his phone. "Out in the desert those missiles would've vaporized anything within a few hundred kilometers, but the buildings cut that down to less than a few dozen." He looked at Daichi. "Take us some distance from the building and look up."

Shrugging, Daichi did so. "Holy crap," he exclaimed. "Holy fucking crap." Rising far into the atmosphere were two gigantic mushroom clouds, intermingled together. "How big?" he finally asked, still gulping.

Drop Dead sighed. "The top of those mushrooms are well above the atmosphere," he told the boy. "Maybe as high as four-hundred kilometers. Any satellites directly above us are now gone." The ceramic-looking creature pondered that for a second. "Or they should be. On this world with you freaks I just don't know anymore." He gave a deep, desolate sounding, sigh.

"By the way," Waku told the still stunned pilot. "I'm pretty sure you broke the sound barrier there. Good job."

Daichi just nodded, and kept staring.

"Too bad they didn't use the last one," Waku mused aloud, frowning. "If they had we would only have to worry about that laser of theirs and direct combat."

"We're safe in the city," Moji added.

"Yeah." Waku studied the screen. "We're too fast for them to catch, and the buildings would block their lasers." He looked at the group, grinning. "I bet they're pissed."

Daichi kicked the bag at his feet. "It's quite the show, and I'm not just saying that because I'm the star. Dig in."

When the bag slid over to him Kako took out a bar and a drink, then kicked the bag over to the next chair where Kodama sat.

"You're going to eat?" Drop Dead asked.

"Shouldn't we?" Daichi replied, looking confused. "There's always food at sporting events, you know. Always. I've seen them on television. Now that I'm not only at one, but part of one, I'm going to enjoy the grub."

Kako glanced at Chizu, trying not to let her see the worried look. When the bag came her way she took nothing. He wasn't even sure she'd saw it. He turned to look at Maki, getting her attention, then let his eyes slide back to Chizu. Maki nodded, understanding. Not leaving her chair, she reached out with her leg and snared the bag. Aside from what she took for herself she also took a container of milk. Form followed function, and much like on their Earth it had a straw a person could punch through the top. Doing so the girl then passed the drink over to Chizu.

"Here honey," she said, passing her the drink. She gave a sigh of relief when the girl started to drink.

"Damn cockpit," Moji screamed, startling then all. He savagely tore into a sandwich, chewing with his mouth open. "Why can't I find it? Does it even have one?"

Chizu stared at the container in her hand, hating the fact the sweet tasting drink was delicious. She was also having trouble detaching her mind from what Kodama had done to her that morning. Slowly she took another sip before she looked up to peer around the cockpit. "Have you asked if it's not on the mech?" she asked. "Or maybe a part that you're not taking into consideration?"

Moji blinked, tossed the sandwich wrapper on the floor, and started tapping at the phone again. "It's not on the mech," he bellowed in victory. "It's not on the mech." He paused. "Then where is it?" He started tapping again. "

Waku slapped his forehead. "It's a trick," he muttered angrily. "Someone fighting that blasted mech is supposed to spend all their time messing with the fake ones while the real one isn't even there."

"Brother," Drop Dead muttered, resting on the floor. "I think you're the first ones to figure that out. But you can't find it, and you can't kill it, so you're all going to die."

"It's to the north," Moji said. "More than two hundred kilometers away. Checking three hundred."

"Ask if it's invisible or something," Waku ordered. "Will we see it if we get close enough?" He frowned. If it was cloaked then finding it was going to be a pain.

A minute later Moji answered, "Six-hundred kilometers. It's cloaked, but it has zero defenses, even less than what a normal cockpit does." He looked up grinning. "If we run over it, it's history." He blushed when there was a cheer throughout the room.

"Thanks Chizu," Maki quietly added, looking at the girl. "You solved that problem for us." She smiled, trying to cheer the girl up.

"For sure, thanks Chizu," several of the others pitched in.

"Now," Waku said, sounding upbeat. "We got one more of those H-bombs to deal with, and we can go after that thing. Any suggestions?" He looked around the room.

"Screw that," Kako said, "If we get close enough to the cockpit they won't dare use that missile. It would be end game for them. We run for it."

"They would blast us long before we got to it." Moji and Waku said, speaking as one. They briefly looked at each other and shrugged.

Komo leaned forward. "Travel around the edge of the city slowly. Keep enough distance that we can run for it if they use that bomb, but place us on the opposite side of the city from that cockpit."

Waku nodded. "I see," he said. "Let's see if they're good at chicken."

Komo smirked. "No loss to us either way, but if they blink, we win."

Daichi shrugged, playing along even if he didn't know what was going on. "If you guys say so." Once again MEarth stirred to life at his command. Soon they were on the far side of the massive city relative to the cockpit.

"Will they fall for it?" Komo asked anxiously.

"They will," Moji assured her.

Waku nodded. "They don't know we know where their cockpit is. They have no reason not to fall for it."

The group waited, gulping down more food as only kids can. Daichi kicked the bag over to Penny, insisting she too take something. Meanwhile the enemy mech did as expected, traveling around the city, closing the distance.

"Now," Komo shouted, eyes having never wavered from the screen. "Dash towards the cockpit."

Daichi did so, racing for all he was worth. Once again MEarth broke the sound barrier. Immediately, perhaps acting on impulse, the enemy launched their last nuke. As before Daichi turned, racing away at a ninety-degree angle. And as before when the missile was about to impact he hid behind one of the buildings. That was where the similarity ended. Even if the buildings provided some protection they were far closer this time around, and beneath them the ground savagely shook while the air turned to a bright-white fire. As massive and strong as the buildings were a five-hundred megaton blast destroyed a number of them, and damaged many more, turning an area fifteen kilometers in radius to either ruin or crumbling crater. Still, MEarth at thirty kilometers from the blast, hidden behind what looked to be a grinning, and very well endowed Satyr, survived. The massive mech rolled out of the city with at least half of its wire strands missing and seven loops either badly bent or broken, yet it did roll. Turning, it headed directly for the enemy cockpit, moving at just beneath the speed of sound. The enemy mech, itself badly wounded in the blast, futilely gave chase.

"Damn, it's not here; it can move," Moji muttered an hour later. "But it's slow. Can't be moving more than fifty kilometers an hour."

Waku nodded, and the hunt began. For three hours the enemy cockpit, unseen, tried to evade the seer's intuition, and for three hours MEarth brutally hunted it. Then it was over.

"No." Drop Dead screamed. "That was a level ten mech. You can't beat it, you can't. Damn you kids."

"What level is this one?" Waku asked, curious.

"Level one," Penny said, grinning.

The girl stood when Daichi did and approached him, nervous. The kiss that followed was one of passion. For Penny it was the returning of emotions she'd long buried: hope, joy, excitement, affection, not to mention the thrill of battle. For Daichi it was sorrow at what was to come, and lust for the girl. If it was to end he wanted to seize all he could. So when her lips met his, his arms closed around her, and he even dared to brush her hair. Penny sunk into the embrace, feeling the warm and strong comfort of those arms, and the way his hand had grazed her hair. Still it was chaste, for Daichi dared nothing more than the touching of lips, while Penny didn't know more than that. They were teens who were in heaven, and they rejoiced in it.

It was ten minutes later that Moji cleared his throat. "Sorry dude, I know this is going to come as a shock, but today is not your day to die." He shrugged.

Kako looked at Drop Dead and asked, "Dude, can't you get anything right?"

* * *

Maki stood next to the door, standing just inside Kako's room. She was twiddling her toes nervously. Sure they were friends now, but asking for help? She wasn't too sure on that.

"Hi," Kako said, greeting the girl with a smile. He tilted his head, examining her. "New haircut?" he asked, half guessing.

"Yeah." She reached up and patted her hair, blushing. The women on this world were beautiful, with nearly all of them looking both perfectly healthy and athletic. Drab as she might be compared to them, she still wanted to try to look her best when outside the apartment.

"It's going to drive the girls crazy," he told her, winking.

"Doubt it," she retorted, smiling. He might be a guy, but that was okay. The compliment was welcomed, and should he pass the line she would say so. They each knew where the other stood. "Can I ask a favor?" she asked. "I want to get a few of the pills Mirror mentioned a few days back, the ones that can cure leukemia."

"Have Daichi print them up? he asked, wondering. "Guy has that printer figured out like the back of his hand."

Maki shook her head. "He can't. Seems some of the ingredients are pretty addictive. Got to be over twenty-three to get them."

"Oh. "

"I was wondering if you knew how to get your hands on them?"

"To be honest, in our world I probably could get my hands on any sort of drug," Kako admitted. He looked up at her, "Not that I have. Even I didn't want drugs floating around school. Place was crazy enough as it was."

"Yeah." She cringed, thinking of teachers who preyed on pre-teens. "By the way, Chizu still isn't talking other than to say go away. Doesn't even open her door ."

Kako lowered his head, sighing. "She has it bad enough without my being here. Perhaps if I just stayed away? Drop Dread can pick me up from anywhere."

Maki pursed her lips, giving it some serious thought. While the boy had recovered from his breakdown, as she thought of it, that didn't mean Chizu accepted it. Also, it was obvious that if someone had to stay away it should be him. For whatever reason he'd acted the way he did, Chizu was the innocent in all of this. "No, that would disrupt the group," she finally told him. "And . . . . I have an idea, come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Hey, Moji," the girl said a few seconds later. "Bad boy here has a question."

Moji looked up. "Answering questions is my middle name." He glared at Kako. "But in his case I'll make it, murder incorporated is my middle name." He flexed the fingers of the hand that was still bandaged.

Kako shook his head. "That's all the thanks I get for making you a rich man drowning in girls?" He looked at Maki. "Maybe his name should be Ungrateful, not Intuition Guy?"

"You call him PinCushion most of the time," Maki pointed out.

"Well, there's still the money and the girls."

"What money and what girls?" Moji asked, looking around. "I don't see much of either falling into my lap."

"Thanks to my brilliant work you now have a super power," Kako pointed out. "Easy to win the lotto." He shrugged. "As for girls, you can just use your intuition to ask which ones are willing to sleep with you. No more wondering, no more doubt."

Moji looked at Maki, blushing. "I would never use it that way," he insisted.

"Bull," Maki and Kako said together.

"What's the question?" the boy asked, covering his face with his hands. 'If it's should I kill Kako, I can tell you the answer is yes. The world would thank me for it."

"Question is this," Maki told him. "If Kako were to take up residence elsewhere, assuming it's possible, would the results be: disaster, very bad, bad, neutral, good, very good, super duper deluxe good?" At his expression she quickly added. "Just residence, not running away."

"Oh. Why?" He looked between the two. "Lover's quarrel?" He raised an eyebrow.

"We're not like that," Maki insisted. She shrugged. "But if you need a reason, run with it."

"Just a minute." Moji wrote the question into his cell phone along with the list of possible answers. Then he started tapping, "I get a hundred percent response that it would be good for my mental health if he left," the boy finally said. Then he gave a deep sigh, looking as if he wanted to cry. "But it would a disaster overall."

"So he should stay?" Maki asked.

"Yeah. Be a disaster if he left," Moji confirmed. "Only thing at risk if he stays is my sanity."

"Have Machi help you with the pills," Mirror said, passing by the trio, making them jump. "Be good practice for her."

* * *

Resting naked on the bed, listening to the agonized whimpers of the equally naked girl on the floor, Kodama gave a deep sigh of pleasure. This morning he'd paid the 3D printer a visit and made some knitting needles. As a kid they'd been his favorite tool. They were long while the holes they made were ever so tiny. They were perfect. For a while, when he was around ten or so, he'd been neighbors with a girl of around five. Dumb and whiney as the brat had been, she'd had a dog that'd been dumber still. The boy licked his lips, drooling as he recalled how much fun it had been each day, after dark, to sneak over and visit the mutt. No one had ever figured out why the dog went mad, not with the family being too dumb and poor to call a vet. The pain of the mutt as he'd stuck the needles right through its body had been so exquisite; the barks, the whimpers, the futile growls. Kodama giggled. At times he'd driven the needle up through the dog's anus, at other times down through the mouth. He figured it was one of the times when he'd used the nostrils, driving the sharp instrument right into the creature's brain, that the stupid creature had went mad. He'd expected it to die at that point, but instead it'd went wild and had even savaged the girl when she'd tried to comfort it. The dumb bitch had been in the hospital for weeks. Giggling again, he viewed the girl on the floor, recalling what he'd done to her that morning with the newly forged needles. The shrieks had been sheer music, causing him to get excited and orgasm twice.

At the moment the cunt was kneeling on the floor, arms stretched our perfectly straight, hands resting on the floor with the fingers curled. She had to keep those arms like that because on this world knitting needles were eighteen inches long and she had one driven its entire length up through each of her arms. Were she to bend her elbows the most holy of tools would rip into the muscles and flesh of her upper arm, causing such excruciating pain that it was sure to be a worthy offering to her judge, he himself. As she wasn't of the chosen what else could she offer? It was his obligation to watch and listen, enjoying those shrieks of torture so that in him she would at least be remembered. It was what he offered those that were beneath him, a form of immortality.

Rising, the boy stood in front of the girl, ready again for her to give him pleasure. Watching the torment in her eyes he swore he would never ever abandon the holy task of the chosen again. Breathing heavily as the excitement built, he wondered how she would react if he were to kill her fetus. Would she thank him, or curse him? _Another joy for another day,_ Kodama mused, eyes closed as the rapture overtook him.

* * *

End of Chapter


	5. Weight of Stone

_Had originally planned on 2 opening chapters, 14 chapters with mech combat, and 1 concluding chapter, but I'm wondering if I will be able to think of 14 ways for a mech with no weapons to kill another. And if it might get a bit tedious after a while? Have also realized that so far the girls have been under-represented in the combat scenes. Waku (leader) and Moji (seer) make up for most of the dialogue there. Also currently three pairings (Anko,Kanji), (Ushiro,Machi), and {Daichi,OC-Penny). I would ask if anyone had a pairing they want added, but no one is actually reading the story. Oh well. Outside of the mech combat most of the story is just about the kids working through their issues or getting on with their lives, though the masterminds will be explained._

 _And no, no markings to mark the pilot. Drop Dead had clearly hoped to have them battle it out with each other to see who would pilot and then die._

 _Time: The next day._

* * *

 _ **Weight of Stone**_

"Hey," Komo said, opening the door to her best friend's room.

"Come in," Maki said, tapping the off switch to her computer. It just wouldn't do for anyone to see what she'd been watching.

"What were you looking at?" Komo asked, sliding the door close before sitting down on the bed.

"Hrm, just stuff," was the best reply the girl could come up with. She hated lying, but was it lying if it was the truth? It had been just stuff, even if it'd been fascinating stuff.

"Boys?" Komo asked, raising an eyebrow. She knew she'd been doing enough of that lately.

"Maybe."

"So many secrets," Komo said, frowning. "What's so bad you can't tell your best friend?"

Maki gave a deep sigh, cringing when she saw her friend take it the wrong way. "It was just some sort of swimming game," she quickly replied. "Nothing you'd be interested in."

Komo laughed, collapsing back on the bed, face red. "I'm pretty sure I would. I love this world. It's a girl's dream come true." She sighed, smirking with her eyes staring off into the distance. "All those cute guys and hardly any clothing at all." She licked her lips. "I even saw one where they were, you know, playing in the . . . ." She blushed.

"Nude?" Maki asked, grinning as well.

Komo giggled. "You could see their . . . ." She blushed again, unable to continue.

"Penises," Maki prompted, trying not to laugh at her friend.

The girl nodded. "In the water you couldn't, of course, but when they took a break they sat on the edge of the pool and then you could see it all, sort of." She swallowed nervously. "I would love to be a girl in this world." She sighed happily, once again staring off into the distance.

"Me too," Maki agreed, though she knew it was for a whole different reason.

Komo sat up, looking her friend in the eye. "So, how're things going between you and Kako?" she asked, eyes wide, clearly demanding a full and honest answer.

"Hrm. Not sure what you mean."

"Have you kissed him yet?" Komo glared at her friend, frowning again. "You can't keep secrets like that."

"No. We're not like that." Maki insisted, cringing inside.

"Did he notice your hair? Did he think it was cute?"

"Well. He noticed. And he did compliment it." She had no way to evade that question.

"Then you're dating, right?" Komo insisted. "A boy doesn't notice your hair and compliment it unless they're interested, so he's definitely interested."

"Interested is not dating," Maki replied. "And he's not."

"But you two have been spending so much time together?"

"We're not like that."

Komo shook her head. "It's obvious," she insisted. "You two are lovebirds." She giggled.

"We just talked," Maki replied, burying her head in her hands.

"Sure. You can tell me, please." Komo knelt on the floor, hands clasped together, begging with a hopeful expression.

Maki sighed, shaking her head again. She took her friend's hands into her own and looked the girl straight in the eye, trying not to think of just how pretty they were. "Komo," she started, "when I date a boy I swear I will tell you."

"Promise?"

"Promise," Maki reassured her, knowing she would never date a boy. In her mind she couldn't think a single reason why anyone would. Girls were so much cuter.

"Have you explored outside yet?" Komo asked.

"No. Truth be told, I've been pretty much doing nothing. A fair bit on the computer, browsing a few of their books, looking at their games." The girl kicked at the wall, thinking. "I have been trying to get some of those pills Mirror mention for my brother. No luck."

Komo nodded. "We'll get some," she promised. "I was wondering if we could snatch them from a drugstore but seems these people don't have drugstores. Or pharmacies. At least I couldn't find any online."

"You, steal?" Maki raised an eyebrow.

The girl shrugged carelessly. "I know. Not like me at all. But it would be worth it."

Maki leaned forward, giving the girl a hug, careful to not let her hands wander, or to let the attraction she felt show in her eyes. "Thanks," she said, appreciating the other girl's concern. "Course these people don't need pharmacies. Not with those printers." She let go, resting back against the wall.

Komo gave a deep sigh, looking away from Maki towards the wall. She gave another even deeper sigh.

"What is it?"

"Want to go outside?" Komo asked, turning back to face Maki. "I want to go outside."

Maki shook her head as if in a daze, once again leaning forward. This time it was to examine her friend. Slowly, she let her eyes roam over the girl's head as if searching for something. Reaching out she felt the girl's hair. "Strange," she mused.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Komo asked, peering back at her quizzically.

"What have you done with my friend?" Maki poked at the girl, frowning. "Tell me, where's Komo?"

Komo snorted. "Stop teasing." She looked up at the ceiling, understanding why her friend was so puzzled. For years she'd been the next closest thing to a shut-in. "I'm a girl," she started.

Maki again poked. "And here I thought I'd had a boy for a best friend all these years." She shook her head again, expressing bewilderment. "Who would've thunk it," she exclaimed. "You a girl."

"Bah. Stop making fun of me." Komo poked back at Maki, jabbing a finger into her friend's stomach. "I'm a girl on a world where the boys are almost . . . ." Her face turned red.

"Naked," Maki filled in.

"And I want to see!" Komo exclaimed, suddenly jumping on her friend, pushing her down by the shoulders as she stared into her eyes. "I want to see."

Maki broke out in giggles. "Do you now? The computer not good enough?" She smirked.

"Screw the computer," came the immediate reply. "Who needs that when they're in arms reach, out there." Komo pointed at the door. "Let's go."

"And just where do we go out there?" Maki queried. "It's an awfully big place."

"Wherever there are boys." Komo shook her head, exasperated. "Don't you want to ogle boys?" she asked, "Are you sure you're a girl?" The girl turned to look her friend over. "Let me check," she ordered, pulling at Maki's pants.

Maki sat upright, pushing her friend aside, blushing. "Seriously," she told her friend. "Where do you plan to go?"

"You'll go?" Komo asked, eyes lighting up.

"I don't think I have a choice here," Maki shrugged. "So where? Even one of those buildings of theirs is pretty big."

Komo nodded. "I know, I checked. Each has a thousand floors, for a total of over two-thousand square kilometers. But we can't get lost."

"Two thousand?" Maki gaped, shocked. "Komo, I'm not too sure about this anymore. We could get lost, and I'm pretty sure asking for directions is out. Here kids our age know their way around. We don't."

"These have GPS." Komo held up her cell phone. "We can't get lost. And if we ask, these will also lead us to boys." She blushed. "I already asked where the nearest pool is."

'You do realize we don't have swimsuits?"

"There will be printers beside the pool," Komo assured her. "And these cells Mirror gave us will work there too. We can buy some."

Kami took a deep breath, shaking her head. "Let me rephrase that," she said as if to a child. "We don't have swimsuits that will cover _these_." She pointed to her chest. "Well, technically we don't have much of _these,_ which is, in my opinion, all the more reason to keep them covered."

"Oh." Komo blushed, looking down at her chest. "Oh." She looked back up with a fanatical look in her eyes. "Screw swimsuits then."

Maki fell back on the bed gasping, shocked. After a few attempts, she managed to speak. "You, the recluse willing to go to a pool half naked?"

Komo looked up at the ceiling again. "Maybe not," she admitted, sounding a bit more timid. "But we can at least go to the pool and walk past it."

"Why the obsession?" Maki asked, speaking softly.

"I was always told to get out more," Komo started, eyes suddenly bleary, filling with moisture. "My father hated the fact I stayed inside so much. He told me that even doing dumb things created good memories." She looked down at the floor, sighing heavily. "He told me that if it didn't hurt anyone, and if it was safe, then go with it. Do dumb things and be a kid. You're only young once." Her eyes turned back to Maki. "I didn't really understand that until ZEarth came along, and it only really got to me when I got marked by Koyemshi. Then it was too late."

"But now we got another chance?" Maki said gently. "We might have to pilot again, and we might die, but for a short while we can be kids."

"And I want to be one," Komo said, sounding fierce. "I want to . . . ." She frowned. "I don't know if it makes sense, but if Sakura can deliver on her promise then when I see my father I want him to be proud. I want him to know that I now know how to enjoy life. That it's a blast." She looked at Maki. "Does that make sense?"

'It does," the girl assured her. "Perfect sense."

"And if she can't deliver on her promise," Komo added, "I can still enjoy what I have left. I can make those days count." Sniffing, she wiped away her tears. "I can still be his daughter."

Maki frowned, confused. "Either way, you are his daughter," she stated.

"I always though he wanted a son," Komo said, looking down at her feet, wiggling her toes. "I always felt so . . . like I was a disappointment. I always knew that wasn't the case up here." She pointed to her head. "But down here it just never rang true with me." The girl pointed to her heart. "Now I know it's true here as well." She thumped her chest with a fist.

Maki jumped to her feet, "Let's go. We're going to see some half-naked boys," she exclaimed. _I can always take a peek at some of the girls,_ she mused, grabbing her friend's hand to pull her to her feet.

* * *

With the aid of their cell phone and only a few misdirections, the two made their way to the nearest of the giant skyscrapers. To their disappointment neither the skyway nor the glass elevator were required.

"You sure your father would approve of you looking at boys like that?" Maki asked as they entered the giant construct.

"I'm not hurting anyone, and it's not hurting me," Komo replied, looking at the hallway they were now passing through. Dark and creepy it made her want to reach out to grab her friend's hand, but that would probably be rejected. For some reason Maki now seemed to consider hand holding to be a thing of the past, perhaps believing they were too old, or that it was just plain weird. Right now though, she really wished someone was holding her hand. The scene was of a forest with the full moon high in the sky. A witch riding a broomstick, her eyes clearly visible and just as clearly evil, gave her the chills. Dog-like creatures, eyes aglow, prowled the ground, possessing claws and fangs like nothing she'd ever heard of. Drops of venom dropped from their fangs, burning and hissing when they hit the ground. How she knew the drops hissed the girl didn't know; she just knew they did. Patches of fog made obscure some parts of the forest, leaving to the imagination what might lurk within. She shuddered, knowing it was just a painting, yet also knowing that nothing good lingered within that sickly-green mist.

Maki gulped, resisting the urge to grab her friend's hand. She knew this wasn't real, but it certainly looked real. She trembled, glad there were no sound effects. If there were she knew she would run screaming from the place, or perhaps just faint and have to be carried out. _Or perhaps those creatures would come alive and carry me off,_ the girl mused, sweat running down her back. She rubbed her hands on the pants of her uniform, drying them.

Both girls gave a gulp of relief when the forest scene ended, leading into a part of the hallway that was dedicated to more cheerful things. A fairy, eyes bright, held a wand with a glowing star at the top, using it to paint a rainbow that actually sparkled and glowed. Both, though they would never admit it, found this more to their liking.

Traveling deeper within the building, passing several people who nodded affably to them, the girls started to hear shouting.

"Close, I think," Maki said, resisting the urge to look back at the woman they'd just past.

"Very," Komo agreed, feeling a little queasy, wondering if a few harmless looks would make someone mad.

The two girls stopped, gaping at the sun-lit clearing they'd just entered, knowing they were in a building yet ready to swear they were at a white, sandy beach bordering a small lake. Glittering in the sunlight, the water was an emerald green oasis that boasted tons of small inflatable rafts from which people, mostly children, jumped with excited shrieks. In the air they saw a small number of birds of some unknown variety, while in the water the dark shadows of fish swam. On the sandy beach there were white shells from the remains of clams. The two of them turned and twisted, trying to take in the whole of what their phones had claimed to be a minor swimming pool. Around the edge they saw palm trees, real ones with real coconuts, and a few with bananas. There was grass with colorful flowers and what they assumed to be berries. Above them there stood a life-like sun that radiated just the right amount of heat to match the nice, slightly cool, breeze that flowed through the area while the sky was a bright blue with a scattering of clouds. In a few places there were a few small hills from which slides led to the water. On them were a number of people, mostly adults with kids of around four or five in their care. The tops of the hills rose into the sky, perhaps lending support to the ceiling. There was, far out over the water, even a small glider carrying a single person who soared like a bird, eyeing the lake below.

Komo's arm rose to point at the beach while she turned to stare at her friend. Her mouth opened and then shut, though she said nothing.

"I think I'm impressed," Maki said, blinking, trying to find even one sign the beach was inside a building. There was none. As inside pools went it was perfect. "I'm impressed," she concluded. "Very impressed."

Nervous, timid as two frightened rabbits, the girls stepped onto the sand. "Komo?" Maki asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did you happen to look at the rules for being on this beach?"

Komo shook her head. "I didn't think to," she admitted.

"Obviously we're allowed to walk on the sand, and swim," Maki said, watching people do just that. "What about the grass? And are we allowed to climb the trees?"

"Not sure," Komo admitted again. She quickly tapped on her phone. "Berries are good to eat," she said a few minutes later. "Tree climbing allowed and so is the picking of the fruit so long as it's consumed." The girl looked over at Maki. "We're also allowed to feed the birds, though only the seeds they sell just for that." She clearly wanted to do the later.

"Make a note of it," her friend told her. "We'll get around to it."

Komo nodded, and taking a deep breath of what seemed to be cool, fresh air, scented with things from any normal beach, continued to walk. Along the way they saw three small cooking fires, though upon closer inspection they turned out to be an illusion of fire beneath heating grills. Despite the 3D printers they had available it seemed these people had not lost the art of beach cooking. Hamburgers and hot dogs were being cooked on one, while something they didn't recognize roasted on another. The third, the one they'd inspected, was free of use. Though their mouths watered, the two resisted the urge to buy anything. If they messed up and were found out it would be bad. While Mirror nor Sakura had forbid anything specific, they'd told the group to keep a low profile.

So engrossed were the two they almost forgot the reason they'd come to the beach - to see boys. Or, in Maki's case, girls. In that regard they were both well rewarded, yet disappointed. Though the place contained dozens of boys and girls, they all wore what looked to be swimming trunks. While Maki was more than willing to settle for the dozens of bared breasts that assaulted her eyes everywhere she looked, she was also trying not to make her looking obvious.

Walking slowly, taking in the sights with frequent breaks to look around, it took the girls nearly three hours to walk the five kilometers length of the beach, ending up where they'd started. There they dared to use their phones to get drinks from a vending machine, though they weren't certain if it was a vending machine or a disguised 3D printer. They also bought a blanket which they placed on the sand.

"Well?" Maki asked, "Happy?"

Komo stretched out on the blanket, looking up at the sky. "I guess," the girl replied with a low-spirited sigh, not looking at all happy. "It's just that none of the boys are . . . ." She looked around, blushing.

"Naked?" Maki sighed, shaking her head. "You won't spontaneously combust if you say it, you know."

"I don't need to. You always say it for me," the girl pointed out.

"True." Maki sat back to stare out over the water. "Nice place," she said, feeling at peace. "I bet my baby brother would love this place when he gets older."

"Any kid would have to," Komo agreed, a strange look on her face. Gritting her teeth, she sat up and slapped her face hard, drawing a few looks. "I'm going to do it," she exclaimed.

"Huh?" Maki asked, feeling a bit concerned.

Komo stood up and headed for one of the stalls that were scattered around the beach. There, viewing the wares, she pulled out her phone. "This," she exclaimed, holding up a swimsuit.

"You're nuts," Maki told her, going white. "There's a ton of people around."

"They're wearing the same thing," Komo said, starting to strip close to the stall, away from the view of any nearby people. "We stand out more in these uniforms."

"True, but . . . ." Maki gulped and turned away from her friend, nervously looking around. "Crazy," she repeated, feeling a little weak. When she turned back Komo was bare from the waist up. "Crazy," she said again, trying not to ogle her friend's chest. She had to admit, though, the swimsuit wasn't all that indecent. It looked to be nothing more than a pair of blue jeans with the legs cut off. Hoops, like one would find on any pair of jeans, circled the waist. Here they were so people could attach things to them, which Komo promptly did with her phone.

"Holy cow, am I really doing this?" the girl asked in a whisper, stomach twisting as she took a step away from the stall. Though several people were near she drew no attention. She waited, not sure what to expect, then turned back to her friend. "See," she said, giving a nervous smile. "No big deal."

'"Crazy," Maki replied.

"I'm going back to the blanket," Komo said. "If I faint . . . . Well, I don't know what you should do if I faint, just don't let the others see me like this."

"And if they come by?"

"This is one of a hundred buildings in this city. This building has a thousand floors, and this is just a small section of one floor. I think I'm safe." The girl frowned. "I hope I'm safe." Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked off, looking a little unsteady on her legs.

"Crazy," Maki said again.

'"A little shy?" an amused voice asked.

Maki jumped, twisting around so fast she nearly fell. A strong, slightly tanned hand reached out, giving her something to grab onto. When she looked up, having to force her eyes above the perky breasts that were at eye level to her, she saw a smiling woman of around twenty-five. "Hi," she said, not knowing how else to greet the woman, not even knowing if people here used the phrase 'hi.'

"Hello, not joining your friend?" The woman nodded in the direction of Komo. As she did so her breasts gave a slight bounce, causing Maki to drool and stare.

Knowing her face was now a bright beet-red, that she'd been caught, the girl looked up in a panic, ready to run if the woman was angry.

"I see," the woman nodded again, grinning at the look on the girl's face. "You're afraid she'll find it weird if you tell her you like girls, right?"

Maki nodded. "She might think I'm obsessing over her or ogling her, or something." She'd been found out and figured she might as well be civil. Besides, the woman hadn't yelled pervert yet and something in her needed to get this off her chest. She needed someone to talk to. Sure Kako knew and had reassured her, but he was a guy.

"She might also find the way you're avoiding her strange," the woman pointed out. "She might think you're growing apart as friends. You couldn't even meet her eyes when she wore that. Either way is a risk."

"True," Maki admitted, kicking at the sand. "But we've been friends since forever. I can't risk it."

"And you've shared everything up til now?"

She nodded emphatically. "Everything."

"But now you're breaking that tradition?"

Maki nodded, wiping at her eyes, hating the fact she was becoming emotional.

"Trust her," the woman advised. "Sooner or later she will find out, but if you trust her now you keep that tradition and you're not the one breaking trust. You can honor your side of the friendship. You can't control what she does, but you can act such that you are true to yourself. That is all anyone can do." She reached out, ruffling the girl's hair. "Remember the words of Sakura, work or play, embrace the day." She nodded, looking out over the beach. "Go out and have fun."

"Thanks," Maki told the woman, thinking of what Komo's father had told Komo. _'Do dumb things, you're only a kid once.'_ Glancing at the woman she smiled. "I think I will do that." Taking a deep breath she turned towards the stall.

"Nice," Komo said, grinning up at her friend who now wore a swimsuit similar to her own, just red. Turning, pointing out over the water, she grinned. "Beat you to that raft that looks like a stingray," she challenged and took off running.

 _At least I don't have to worry about bouncing,_ Maki though, looking down at her chest before taking off. Taller, with longer legs, she beat her friend with seconds to spare. Breathing hard, excited, she immediately climbed up and jumped off the far side. In a short while the two forgot about anything other than having fun. When they tired of swimming they walked the beach, now daring to try the hamburgers and hot dogs. They tasted a little weird, but it added novelty and they loved them. Then there were the waterslides where they made the trip several times, sliding down the two-hundred-meter drop with shrieks of fun, clowning around with each other and the other kids. Tired, having been at the beach for over seven hours, they returned to their blanket with a small bag of seeds for the birds. Sitting, holding up tired hands, they talked as the friendly creatures of the air played around them, causing them to giggle.

* * *

"Having fun," a voice asked the two.

Both Maki and Komo yelped, falling into a panic. Their hands immediately rose to cover their chests while their heads twisted around, eyes wide with fright. When they saw Mirror, and no one else, they gave a sigh of relief. The strange girl, they noted, was casually wearing a similar swimsuit that was pink with white stripes. In her hand was a half-finished hotdog.

"Are you alone?" Maki asked, hands still on her chest.

"If you mean if any of the boys are around, then no." Mirror grinned at them. "I do like the beach myself." She looked around, then turned back towards them. "Just so you know, Drop Dead will be calling you to the mech in four minutes."

"There goes our fun," Komo muttered, sounding grumpy. She let her hands fall to her side.

Maki nodded. "We have to come back sometime."

Mirror cleared her throat. "I assume you're not planning to go the mech dressed like that?" She raised an eyebrow. "Though I'm sure that the guys would love it."

The two girls looked down, then shrieked, racing for the stall where they'd left their uniforms. To Maki's dismay Mirror caught her by the hand,

"Tell me, you do know what five minutes of heaven means, don't you?" Mirror asked, head tilted as she gave the girl an amused grin.

"I, um, no," Maki admitted, staring desperately at the distant stall, frantically trying to count the seconds. When Mirror leaned in and whispered in her ear she blushed. "Why tell me that?" she asked, bright red as well as frantic now, her frightened eyes still on the stall and her uniform.

* * *

Maki dropped to the floor of MEarth's cockpit unsure how a forty-second sprint, followed by twenty seconds of hurried clothes changing, could leave her so out of breath. Still, for the most part, she was dressed. Her bra she shoved in a pocket, Hoping no one saw it.

"Cutting it close," Komo whispered to her, smirking.

"Too close." She stood and took her seat, ignoring the wondering eyes of her fellow pilots.

"Okay," Drop Dead roared, floating in the air. "I know we got off on the wrong foot last time, but now you twits will fight it out to see which of you die."

"Hey," Nakama said with a bright smile, walking up to the creature they'd nicknamed Snotball.

"What now? Are you ready to beg?"

The cheerful girl held up a small bag. "I brought some paint," she explained. "I thought I might be able to cover some of those spots that came out bad."

"I'm not made of ceramic," Snotball roared, flying up so he bounced off the ceiling. "And I came out right. There's nothing wrong with me."

Nakama shook her head. "The first step to solving a problem," she explained, "is admitting you have a problem." She took a nice neon-pink tub out of the bag. "We can cover up all those spots that look like warts," she insisted.

"With pink paint?" Anko asked, sounding rather doubtful.

Nakama nodded, smiling. "It's perfect," she insisted. "If you look like you're trying to hide something it just draws attention to it. This will make it look like a beauty mark. Unlike warts, which make people stop and pause, they won't think twice about pink." The girl shrugged. "And it might make him look more cheerful. He might even get a new nickname like Pinkie or something."

Drop Dead studied the paint for a second, then flew off, deciding it was best to just ignore crazy people. "Chose a pilot," he ordered, sounding tired.

Moji frowned, pointing a finger at Komo who stood with a small shrug. "I'm glad," she spoke to herself.

"What?" Drop Dead exclaimed, dropping to the floor, spinning around in a daze. "You're glad?" he asked, having heard her comment. "Are you dumb or something?"

Maki gave her friend a sad smile, knowing what the girl was saying. She was glad she'd taken her father's advice and done something dumb.

"Please people, fight," Drop Dead implored them. "That's how this is supposed to work. You all want to live, so you fight and toss out the first loser. Do I really need to tell you how to behave? It's common sense."

Komo took the center seat, tossing a small smile towards Penny. "Hi," she told the girl.

"Common sense," Kako stated, "is to stop being late with these fights. Two minutes this time." The boy shook his head, giving a deep sigh of exasperation.

"Not even a small fight?" Drop Dead asked, deciding to ignore the time-crazed boy. Looking around he saw no one was even paying him attention. "We have an extra pilot," he stated loudly. "Winner might get to live." Around him the group continued to talk, not reacting at all. "Crazy," he muttered.

"Not on our home turf," Komo suddenly said, looking at the main display. "We're in a city." The girl turned white, gulping when she looked down. "There're still people here," she exclaimed. "Open that screenie thingy to the other mech." On the display she saw that the enemy looked like a thick disk with blades that spun around the edge. It had tank-like tracks for movement and had nine lights lit up.

"Why bother?" Drop Dead asked, muttering. "You'll all soon be dea . . . ."

"Open it now," Komo said forcefully, bellowing the command out in an ear-splitting burst of rage, "Or I will put that stupid paint on you myself."

"I'm the boss here," the flying creature insisted, shocked that one of the crazy kids had actually sounded violent. He flew higher, deciding to play it safe.

"Paint," Komo demanded, and Nakama tossed it to her.

"I'm counting to five," she told the object of her rage, gritting her teeth as she spoke. "Then this is going on you. Then you will open that damn screen. Your little ceramic friend over there will see the pink you and tell all his little ceramic friends about it."

"You can't threaten . . . ."

"One," Komo stated.

"This is insane." Drop Dead said, sounding less than sure of himself.

"Two."

"I wonder what your boss will think of the pink you," Kako interjected with a grin.

"Three."

Drop Dead stared around the room in shock. "This isn't right."

"Four."

The screen came on.

Komo took a deep breath, turning away from Drop Dead to face the enemy pilot. It was a young, tired-looking blond woman who seemed to be frozen in panic, Her eyes twitched as she looked around, seeming to be unable to find what she was looking for.

"Hi," Komo said, startling the woman who jumped.

"Hi," the enemy pilot spoke back. "I didn't know we could speak to each other."

"We can. Seems your people haven't evacuated yet," Komo said gently.

The woman stared back. "Please don't crush them," she begged. "My sister is down there. The government waited too long, they said it was okay. But . . . ." She gulped. "It's not okay," she finally said.

"Nothing about this is," Komo agreed. "We can wait, but you should know waiting probably benefits us more than you." Her eyes flickered over towards Moji who was busy hitting the keys of his cell phone like a raving idiot.

"Do you even have weapons?" a young man asked, peering into the screen. "That thing looks . . . ."

Komo gave a small laugh. "Crazy, isn't it. But yeah, they gave us a mech with no weapons to fight in." She shook her head, snorting, clearly finding the situation amusing.

"But if you don't have weapons?" the man asked.

"We get by," Komo told him. "So, truce until your people are evacuated?"

The man nodded, looking relieved while the woman almost collapsed, muttering the name, "Marie."

A ceramic creature that looked a lot like Drop Dead flew into view, looking around. He peered at Penny. "Long time no see," he told the girl.

Penny blinked. "Do I know you?" she asked.

"Our mechs fought a year or so ago," the creature explained. "You don't remember me?" He sounded sad,

"Sorry. I've seen so many."

The enemy creature bobbed up and down, nodding. "True."

Komo frowned, pondering the creature. It didn't sound at all like Drop Dead or Koyemshi. "What level is that mech?" she asked.

"Six," the creature replied, turning its gaze on her. "I'm sorry. A level one such as yourselves can't beat it. With no weapons, . . . . Sorry."

"The last mech before you was a level ten."

"That can't be. I'm sure you must be mistaken. A level two perhaps."

"Does a level two carry nukes that can blow satellites out of orbit?" Komo asked.

The creature paused, holding still in the air. "No," he admitted.

"You don't sound at all like Drop Dead here," Waku stated, frowning as he peered at the enemy.

"I'm afraid many of my kind get these positions as a reward. I got it as punishment."

"Oh. What do we call you?" Anko asked. "We call him over there," she pointed at Drop Dead, "Snotball."

All of the enemy pilots, as well as the enemy creature, turned to look at Drop Dead.

"These kids are crazy," was the only explanation he gave, sounding sulky. "Ask what they call this machine."

"We call it MEarth," Komo said. "M, E, a, r, t, h. You know, because it's pronounced like mirth, and this is all a sick joke. What do you call yours?"

"Pooky," the woman answered. "We all thought we were just playing some stupid game and that's the name we used. A night out having fun before we really got into college work. This game was in the college pub and we tried it." She sighed. "Some fun."

Komo nodded, noticing most of the enemy pilots were women. "Sucks," she agreed.

"He, by the way, is called Cody." The woman pointed at the creature that hovered over her shoulder.

"Better than Drop Dead," that for sure, Komo said, snorting with a brief look at Drop Dead.

* * *

it took nearly twelve hours before the people were evacuated. During that time the people of two worlds talked, knowing one of their worlds would die at the price of the other. It also gave the pilots of MEarth time to plot. Komo, while knowing she wasn't as smart as some of the others, had also spent thousands of hours playing games with her father - military games. From them she'd learned that terrain was important; it decided battles as much as men and equipment and numbers did. On the flat Pooky would cut them down in no time at all; that was obvious. The blades would strip MEarth of its wire frame in minutes while the lasers the enemy mech carried would finish the job. They couldn't even circle behind the enemy since it was a disk. A flat battlefield was suicide. Through the night and into the early morning, even as they talked with the enemy, the group plotted.

First they'd considered which terrain was best for this fight. Komo had, with some hesitation, suggested mountains and Moji had gone to work. In the end his intuition had agreed with her. That'd made them wonder, but Moji had then asked for each of the individual terrains they could think of if the fight could be won there. On anything flat the answer was always no. There was a chance in the ocean, though they weren't exactly sure how they would fight a battle in the water. But mountains, or so their seer's power claimed, was their best hope. The higher the mountain, with the steeper the slope, the better their chances.

That decided they'd asked what direction to run in to find mountains and had found it was north, but just a little to the east of direct north. How far? Moji had claimed it was six-hundred kilometers.

"Okay, let's roll." Komo had said when the truce ended, sending MEarth literally running for the hills, big ones. As with all their battles in the cylinder-shaped mech they quickly outpaced their foe, reaching the rugged-looking mountain range in less two hours. It was another three before Pooky rolled up, lasers firing.

"Now what?" Waku wondered, leaning forward to stare at the massive, snow-covered peaks. "We're not supposed to circle them to keep out of laser range, so just how do we make use of these mountains?"

"That's obvious," Komo said, eyes lit with the fires of battle, mind rushing a mile a minute. "In a disk-shaped mech like that they can't go up a steep slope. That's where we go, up high on one of those slopes, or perhaps even right to the top." Even MEarth had trouble with that.

Komo had recklessly raced at several of the steeper slopes, driving at insane speeds, shaking the poor mech so violently they felt it even in the cockpit. It was to no avail. While being on the higher parts of a slope kept them safe it also wasn't what they needed. Eventually, with a devil-may-care attitude, the girl had driven the mech at a particularly steep slope, pushing MEarth to its limits. With the wires of its outer cylinder snapping from the brutal attempt, the mech raced up the slope and, with a few screams from its occupants, launched itself into the air, soaring upward like a rocket freed of its earthly bounds. To the shock of the crew they hadn't come crashing down but caught on the edge of a brutal cliff that dropped down for three kilometers. There they'd found a relative level place and gathered their wits.

"You kids are crazy," Drop Dead had screamed, buzzing around the room in a panic. While he was used to having the mech blasted apart around him this was entirely new and he didn't like it.

Daichi had bowed his head, looking rather pale. "Next time I'm taking some anti-nausea medicine," he told them, hands on stomach, trying not to puke.

Penny had almost laughed, eyes wide, and had let out a small, shocked shriek. In her had burned the hope that these insane kids might do the impossible, kill her. But within the turmoil of her newly awakened emotions she'd also craved to live, to see what happened next. She'd eyed Daichi wondering if maybe there might even be another kiss. Him, she knew, she would remember.

Kanji had sighed, shook his head, and said, "Something about this makes me wonder if I'm as crazy as my mother is. Perhaps crazier."

Kako had looked at Chizu, hoping she didn't fall out of her chair. He gave a sigh of relief when she managed to hold on.

Kodama had gotten annoyed that he'd lost his place in a book. "Be careful," he'd told Komo, uttering a loud, annoyed sigh before going back to reading.

Whatever their reactions, the group now stood atop a mountain, feeling rattled yet glad they were momentarily safe. Pookey couldn't reach them here, and they hoped even Komo wasn't crazy enough to try another stunt like that.

Taking the time to ponder their situation they tore open the bags of snacks Daichi had brought, eating ravenously. Maki made sure Chizu ate something, while Daichi coaxed Penny to at least have a drink and one or two of the bars. It was only Daichi himself, the person who'd brought the food, who skipped. It seemed that Komo's driving had left him feeling a little motion sick.

Stomach filled Komo practiced her driving by spinning MEarth around in a circle, sending massive hundred-ton boulders over the edge to hopefully hit the mech below. Even powered by a three-kilometer fall they doubted the projectiles would do any damage. That was when the military of the Earth they were on joined the battle, sending waves of nuclear missiles at them. It was also that which ended the battle. MEarth was damaged by the strikes, but it had proven in the past it was tough. The group absorbed the impacts and waited. Strained by the combined actions of a five-hundred-meter long mech on it, then weakened by the assault of dozens of one-megaton nuclear missiles, the side of the massive mountain range collapsed, sending a billion-ton chunk of rock sliding down to crush the enemy mech below.

"No," Drop Dead screamed. "But we had no weapons," he fumed, looking at the crazy kids who always wrecked his hopes of moving onto the next Earth where he would get sane people to torment.

"Again?" Penny said, smiling. She knew either way a world died, but she'd found she wanted to continue with this group a little longer. They were interesting.

"And that's a wrap people," Komo said, flexing her hands and cracking her fingers.

Daichi waited, sighing in desperation. He didn't know how Kako had managed to live, nor had Mirror given him any 'drops of blood' this time around. In anguished silence he waited for the child under his care to die.

Komo stood to walk over to Maki, kneeling beside her. "I know you haven't been totally honest with me lately, keeping secrets and all that, but I want you to know you're the best friend any crazy shut-in could ever hope to have."

Maki wept, tearing running down her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered, wishing she'd revealed all her secrets to her best friend, knowing it was too late. She knelt down to wrap her arms around the girl, sobbing.

"Good good," Drop Dead gloated, knowing today was his lucky day.

"One more crazy, dumb thing to remember me by," Komo whispered in her friend's ear. "I'm sorry for taking this, but it is mine, and it will make sure you don't forget me. Not ever." Facing the girl who'd long put up with her silliness, who'd never mocked her for it, she pressed her lips hard against those of Maki. Not satisfied with any sort of chaste kiss, wanting the most out of the few seconds she had left, the girl probed with her tongue rejoicing when her friend did the same. Briefly she wondered why that friend tasted so strongly of blueberries, but soon forgot that.

"Die, please," Drop Dead said five minutes later.

"Seems we have another miracle," Moji said, watching the two girls who were still kissing.

"No no no," Drop Dead muttered, fuming. "That's only a one-in-million thing. For three people that makes it one in a million million million. This isn't happening to me. Why don't you kids die?"

The group appeared back in the apartment with Komo and Maki still locking lips.

* * *

"Hey," Komo said, opening the door to her best friend's room.

"Come in," Maki said, tapping the off switch to her computer. It just wouldn't do for anyone to see what she'd been watching.

"What were you looking at?" Komo asked, sliding the door close before sitting down on the bed.

"It was, hmmm." She shrugged. "Komo, are you into girls?" she asked.

Komo laughed, "Heck no, boys are just way too cute." She shook her head. "I just wanted one more crazy thing, one last-second adventure, you know."

"Oh," Maki sighed. She switched the computer back on. "This is what I was watching," she said, cringing.

Komo leaned down to peer at the screen, frowning. "Seems awful boring if you ask me. With just girls and all."

"Not to me," The girl looked at the wall, refusing to meet her friend's gaze.

"Oh," Komo said, blinking, shocked at the revelation. "Oh."

"Don't hate me, please," Maki begged, heart sinking to the bottom of her stomach. "Even if you never talk to me again, just don't do that, don't hate me."

"I guess you're really not dating Kako after all?" Komo said, resting back against the wall.

"No. Definitely not."

"And if I ever get a boyfriend I never have to worry about you stealing him from me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it. Why would I want a _worm_ inside me? It's gross." She waited for her friend to get mad.

"And I guess you will now remember me forever, what with my stealing your first kiss?"

"Forever and forever," Maki assured her.

"And no more secrets?"

"Never again," came the panicked girl's reassurance.

"And I didn't die after piloting MEarth," Komo mused. "I think I'm the happiest I have ever been."

"You don't hate me?" Maki dared to peer at her friend.

"Heck no. What sort of friend would I be if I did that?" Komo shook her head and laughed. "Don't tell me you thought I would? If you say yes that might make me mad." She leaned over to poke Maki in the side.

"Well, . . . ."

"By the way, why did you, the girl blushed before she could continue, "taste like blueberries like that?"

"Blueberries?" Maki looked puzzled, thinking. Then she recalled Mirror and the beach. "For some reason Mirror whispered something strange in my ear just before we got called to MEarth and gave me a blueberry mint."

* * *

In her room Chizu waited, knowing Kodama would soon open the door, that soon he would . . . . She shuddered. He'd told her what he was going to do, making sure she would dwell on it all day. But that was okay, after all, she was a bad girl.

* * *

End of Chapter


	6. A Dance Upon the Sand

_Time: The next day._

* * *

 _ **A Dance Upon the Sand**_

Kirie stretched, then flopped over on his bed, always keeping one eye on the computer screen. Like many of the children given a new life on a foreign world, he had at first crouched at the computer frenetically ogling all the bare flesh he could find. But after the thousandth picture, or perhaps it was the hundredth thousandth picture, he had grown as tired of it as they all had. Truth be told every one of them had browsed the internet at home, or secretively at the computer labs in school, and already knew what the varied bodies of humanity looked like. It was still a thrill, but not something to spend the whole day at. So, with a despondent sigh, the boy tapped the off switch and the image on the screen disappeared. Wondering what the rest of the kids were doing he stood and left the room, careful to avoid looking in the mirror.

"Morning."

Startled, Kirie jumped, spinning around in a way that would have seemed graceful if not for the bouncing and jiggling of his excess flesh. "Mirror," the boy stated. "I didn't see you there."

The strange girl nodded and held out a candy bar. "Daichi has that 3D printer practically purring, but he's still missed some of the better stuff. Try it."

The boy paused, struggling to resist the lure of candy, and then, as he always did, he reached for it. "Thanks." He tore the paper wrapper off with trembling fingers. He knew he had a problem when it came to food, but it wasn't just the evil enticement of the bar alone that called to him this time. It was the fact it was something new, a new and probably exotic taste that he could savor. He took a bite. "Wow," was all he could think to say as he took another, and then another bite. Soon the only thing left was the empty wrapper, the all too excruciating guilt, and the extra pounds a few seconds of lapse would surely add to his already hefty waist. "Thanks," he told the girl again, determined not to ask how to print them on the 3D printer himself. That he knew would be a disaster.

Mirror twisted her body around to the left, then to the right, stretching. "Been sat down too long," she explained. "Want to see what I was reading?"

"Sure." Anything the girl did was of interest to others. At times she seemed more of this Earth than the one they came from, and that was certainly possible. She had never told any of them as far as he knew exactly where she and Sakura came from. The day before she'd come out of her room dressed much as one of the natives of this world would, half naked. Without even the slightest hint of blushing or modesty, she'd told them that they would be called to MEarth in an hour and then left, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts. _That would make sense,_ the boy mused, following the girl. _The technology on this Earth is incredible and maybe they too, like the masterminds, can cross between those Earths. A peaceful world under attack that sought out pilots would explain everything._ He shook his head, reconsidering the idea. _Everything except why they would choose us kids as pilots, and especially me._

"Is it a coincidence that we ended up in that desert twice when fighting?" he asked, feeling a little queasy doing so.

"No. Like on your Earth where they were drawn to the wireless transmission of energy it's the same here. A large desert area was selected and the cities around it were evacuated." The girl glanced back at him. "None of the others thought to ask that question," she told him with a smile. "They're too busy trying to figure out to how to fight the next mech that comes along."

"Oh." He studied her. A seemingly normal girl dressed in blue jeans and a red t-shirt. On the street no one would pay her any mind. _No one would pay us any mind either,_ he told himself. _No one would guess that we've piloted massive death machines at the command of some murderous group for the survival of whole worlds. Or that in doing so we've crushed thousands to death, and caused the destruction of other worlds._ He gave a sigh, pushing the image from his mind.

"Sometimes there're no good choices," Mirror told him as if knowing his thoughts. She led the way into her room.

"Mind reader?" he dared to ask.

"No, and wouldn't want to be, but good at sensing moods." She pointed at the bed. "Take a seat."

Kirie sat in front of the computer, using the bed as a chair, squishing himself up against the wall so as to not take up too much room. To his surprise Mirror sat down next to him so that she was actually touching. Most people, certainly most girls, were squeamish when it came to sitting next to people like him as if they would gain weight merely by the act of touching.

"Believe it or not," the girl happily exclaimed, "magic is real." She pointed to the screen.

"Huh?" Confused the boy leaned closer to read the writing that was beneath a picture of a hand holding a large, strange coin. ' _Become a Magician overnight,'_ it read _. "'Easy to learn coin tricks anyone can master.'_

"Oh." He wasn't sure what he'd expected, but for a second there she'd had him believing real magic was real.

"I've been practicing, but the overnight part is definitely false advertising. I don't think I have the hands for it." She reached over to grab his hand. "Let me see yours."

Kirie blinked, wondering just how many times a girl had taken his hand like that. Other than his mother the times were few and far between. And never willingly.

"Long," the girl mused, holding his right hand up to her eyes. "Flexible," she added, wiggling each of his fingers in turn. "Big." She placed her hand over his, comparing them.

"They're no good," he told her. "I'm clumsy."

Mirror glared up at the boy, then reached out a finger to flick his nose with surprising force. "To succeed you got to at least try." She shrugged. "And not just once. Sometimes learning something can take thousands of attempts, or even tens of thousands. While it's not always the case that practice makes perfect, it is the case that no practice always makes less than perfect."

"But, . . . ."

The girl flicked his nose again, hands moving too fast for him to follow. "To have piloted ZEarth like you did means a few things, only one of which is that you didn't let its mass affect your thinking. You have good reflexes, really good."

"But, . . . ." He felt the sharp sting of an invisible finger striking his nose again.

Mirror reached out and tapped the computer screen, turning it into a nearly perfect reflective surface. She pointed at his image. "Look yourself in the eye," she told the boy, voice stern.

"I would rather not."

His nose stung again and he rubbed it. For a girl she had really strong fingers.

"It's not going to bite you. And what it has to say is no worse than what you say to yourself in your head," she explained, placing her hand on top of his, giving him a warm smile. "It's merely a way to look yourself in the eye, a way to face yourself when you need to." She leaned back on the bed, heedless of how it caused her body to brush against his."When talking a person doesn't just listen to what you say. They glance at your eyes and see what your eyes are saying. They take in your posture to see if it matches what you're saying. They listen to the tone, trying to determine how it affects what you're saying. When you look in the mirror you can see your eyes. You can study your posture when you're speaking. You can't as easily lie to yourself."

"I don't see what that has to do with me."

Mirror reached up to pat the boy on the back. "Let me ask you this. Who do you think is the worst person, you or Ushiro?"

"Me, of course." Of that he had no doubt. Strong and smart compared to puffy and weak.

"Bleh. Then let me ask you this, is beating a child worse than eating a candy bar."

"Of course." Of that he also had no doubt.

Mirror pushed herself up so she could speak into his ear. "But Ushiro used to beat his sister, remember. And she's just a kid. Technically you all are, but she's even younger. Do you hit little girls? No. Do you bully boys? No. You have maybe one candy bar a day too many." She led back down. "Now, who's worse, you or Ushiro? If beating a kid a bigger evil than eating a candy bar, who's the worse?"

"But . . . ." He shook his head, seeing her logic but unable to accept it.

"And what about Kako?" she asked. "He bullied people. Which is worse, bullying or an extra candy bar a day?"

"Kako isn't so bad.," Kirie insisted. "Both him and Ushiro are okay?"

Mirror nodded. "They are," she agreed. "But so are you. You're decent kids with too much stress and you've never been taught how to resolve it. Ushiro took it out on his sister, but when his issues were resolved, he stopped. Kako took his frustration out on you and others, but he's trying to stop. You, you got your issues as well. But you eat instead which is a lot better than hitting."

Kirie shook his head. "It's not as simple as that," he insisted.

"Of course it is. Actually most things are. They get complicated later on, but when they start they are that simple. But you know what makes Ushiro, Kako, and you okay kids?"

The boy shook his head again. "I'm no . . . . "He felt that sting on his nose again, vaguely aware that the girl had sat up, flicked it, and then led back down.

"Neither of them actually learned to like hurting people. As for you, you've never hurt anyone in the first place. You know what else is simple?"

He shook his head, protecting his nose with his hands.

"The reason all three of you couldn't cope is the same. Kids learn things from the people around them, including how to resolve conflict. Neither of you has had anyone to teach you. Ushiro avoided anyone who could. Kako and you never had anyone who could."

"My mother is a good person," Kirie insisted loudly, preparing to defend the one person he knew for sure was decent.

"She is," Mirror assured him. "Kind and loving, but also someone who avoided conflict because she doesn't believe she has the strength to handle it." She poked the boy in the back. "Remind you of anyone?" she asked.

"Like mother like son?" he asked.

Mirror laughed. "So, I ask you, do you want to learn how to change? You're already a good kid, but do you want to be someone who you can look at in the mirror and respect?"

Kirie sat silent for several minutes, knowing the strange girl was in no rush for an answer. "How?" he asked, already knowing the journey would be too hard.

"It's not all that difficult, but the effort has to be true. Look in the mirror."

His head refused to move upward until a swift and powerful finger jabbed him under the chin; then he looked up.

"What do you see?"

He shrugged. "Fat."

"Okay, first we change that. Keep looking in the mirror and say this, ' _I'm a good kid. I'm a decent person_.'"

"That's silly."

"To the contrary, the best way to counter the bad messages you've fed yourself all your life is to counter them with good messages. Now say it."

Once again he was unable to face the mirror until a strong finger pushed his head upward. Then, not understanding just why saying such a simple thing was so difficult, he said the words. "I'm a good kid. I'm a decent person." Inside him something seemed to break.

"Now repeat that one thousand times," Mirror ordered.

"A thousand?" He shook his head, confused. "Why?"

"Because every day for years you've fed yourself bad messages. To counter that takes more than hearing a good one once. So now it's a thousand times, but eventually you only need to remind yourself of it once or twice when you look in a mirror."

"How does this help resolve conflict?"

"It will give you confidence in yourself. A person who believes they are bad and accepts it has no incentive to change. They can just tell themselves that bad people do bad things. A person who respects themselves has a strength they can call upon."

"Oh." He turned to look back in the mirror but found he'd closed his eyes. It took some effort to open them to look at the fat blob he saw.

"Look yourself in the eye each time," Mirror insisted. "I'll be back when you're done."

"You're leaving me here alone?" Kirie asked, eyes showing a bit of panic.

"What? I can trust you to pilot a giant mech but not to search through my underwear draw?" The girl shook her head, smirking. "And no browsing porn on my computer either." She disappeared out the door which she slid shut, leaving him alone.

He looked in the mirror, still seeing nothing but the fat, sighing as he did so, despising the way he looked. Finally he said the words. When he did so he tried to think of the good things he knew about himself. Even by the thousandth time saying the short phrase he'd only come up with two: he loved his mother and he was definitely against violence.

* * *

Mirror stood outside the door thinking of the boy inside. Truth be told humans had two genes that regulated their desire for food, both originating from the long-ago days when they were scavengers. It was a case of risk versus reward, with the person who dared to snatch meat from an abandoned carcass having both a better chance of getting food as well as a better chance of getting killed should that carcass not be abandoned. Likewise, those who dared to climb steep cliffs for eggs often had more meals, as well as more fatal falls. It was a mechanism designed to balance the risk with the reward, but in days of plenty it could backfire. Kirie was someone who had both of those genes set as high as they would go. Desire equaled addiction, and that was what those genes regulated, the power of the addiction people had to food. And, unfortunately, in part to other things like drugs and gambling. Combined with the stress of being bullied, the whole ZEarth/MEarth thing, and worry over his mother the kid was actually doing quite well.

With a mental sigh the girl turned her attention to the main room, surveying it. To her disappointment Moji was once again sitting down eyeing the model of MEarth while feebly tapping on his phone. His dedication to winning was good, but a person needed balance. And his obsession with using his intuition for everything was going to lead to disaster. Blind reliance upon such a gift often did. It took time and experience to bring wisdom and, as of yet, the boy had neither. He could answer the questions he asked, but he had yet to learn what questions to ask.

"More divination?" she asked, walking over to the boy.

Moji blinked and glanced up, clearly startled to see her. Red eyes showed his lack of sleep. "I was hoping I could figure out what the next mech will look like," he explained. "if I could catch it just as it's arriving we would have some time before we're called to figure things out."

"And if it's another world you'll be fighting on?" she asked, staring at the boy with a raised eyebrow. "Or if you're too exhausted to do much of anything when you're called?"

"I won't let that affect me," he promised.

"Bull. Tired is tired, and while adrenaline will counter it some that fades, leaving you even more exhausted. Just now you were tapping at that phone about half as fast as normal."

"But . . . ."

'I'm the one who should be saying but," Mirror interrupted. "After all, don't I give you guys a full hours warning?"

"What if you're not here?" Moji asked, refusing to back down.

"What if you're not here," she pointed to his head, "because you're fast asleep?"

"That's crazy."

"Stupid kids," Mirror suddenly muttered. "You can't win an argument with them and you're not allowed to murder them." She snapped a finger causing Moji to slump forward onto the table, fast asleep.

With another sigh the girl turned to face Waku who'd also been sitting at the table pretending to study the MEarth model. In actuality he was eyeing Nakama and Anko who were talking in a far corner of the room. "Enjoying the view?" she asked.

"Verily," the boy replied. "Are you putting me to sleep now too?"

"And interrupt your voyeur time?" Mirror asked. "I wouldn't dream of it." She leaned down. "But I do think Kanji is getting wise to you," she warned in a low whisper.

"Oh." Waku froze, then eyed the mentioned teen out of the corner of his eye. "Drats," he added before turning to give Mirror herself a careful look over. He too had seen her leave the day before dressed in . . .. "How about being a distraction? If we snuggle . . . ."

Snap! Mirror watched the boy as he immediately started drooling on the table. "Maybe in a few million years," she told him. Pausing, with a mischievous look on her face, she pushed the two chairs the boys were in closer together and wrapped their arms around each other. Tapping on the table soon cause a large, bright-red, pulsating heart to appear. In it was inscribed, ' _One Day Anniversary. XXX_.' Nodding, satisfied with her work, she turned and headed over to Nadama and Anko.

* * *

"Anything of interest to report?" she asked.

"Not really," Nakama said with a sigh. "Not really." She gave another deeper sigh.

"She thinks she's the only girl without a boy crushing on her," Anko explained. "I told her that's just silly."

"True," Mirror agreed. "I know a few women who don't have anyone crushing on them." She tilted her head in a way that was now familiar to them all, looking thoughtful. "There's Litu Klop, she's a hundred-and-twenty-one. No one has crushed on her for over eight years. Then there's Hiqpo Bnot who's a hundred-and -twenty-nine. I think no one has looked at her with interest for around eleven years." She looked back down at the girls. "Don't worry, Nadama, you're not in that boat alone."

"I don't think that helped," Anko said, looking at Nadama who was now sitting with her forehead on the table.

"Bummer. Sorry." Mirror shrugged. "I did try."

"Try to help or try to make her cry?" Anko asked. She looked up. "Just curious."

"I didn't think the girl who tried to become a prostitute would be so fragile," she explained.

"Don't tell them that," Nakama shrieked, her head shooting up, eyes wild with panic. She gulped and looked around. Except for the happily snoring couple, her outburst had drawn everyone's attention. "Sssshhh," the girl said quieter, eyes still frantic.

Anko blinked. "You?" She shook her head, unsure if she believed Mirror's words. The girl was strange after all.

"It was for a good cause," Mirror added reassuringly.

"Sssshhh," was all the pale-faced girl could manage to get out, eyes flashing around the room, breath heavy from fear.

Mirror grinned. "Even if you had a guy crushing on you, what would you do?" She looked at Anko. "Other than play pretend-to-accidentally-touch-fingers in the chip bowl?"

"Well." Nakama looked confused. "I'm sure there're things we could do."

"You mean like Chizu did?"

"No." The girl shook her head violently. "I don't want to end up like that. I'm not ready for a kid yet. I'm just a kid."

Mirror nodded. "The fun in being thirteen is wondering if a guy likes you and gossiping with your friends about it. No risk and it can be a heck of a lot of fun. " She looked over at Anko. "That goes for you too. Have a sleepover, play a few games, talk about boys, pigout, have fun. There's no rush." She paused for an instant. "Now if you haven't kissed a boy by your sweet-sixteenth birthday party then there might be an issue. But that's just might. If you've held hands with one then you're fine."

"See. It's perfectly okay," Anko said, patting Nakama on the back. "Both of us got plenty of time before we're sixteen. If all else fails we can always go your way and try to become prostitutes."

"Let's not go with the later," Nakama said with a shudder. "Never again."

"How's the plan to tease and taunt Snotball coming along?" Mirror asked.

"I'm running out of paint ideas," Nakama confessed.

"I'm sure we'll think of something though," Anko replied, sounding confident. "It's just too much fun. But why is it so easy? Koyemshi seemed to know everything about us."

"This world's computer technology is a lot more advanced." Mirror explained. "He can't access it. Besides, he's a lot lazier. Koyemshi went through that whole mark scheme and had to follow people around to get his kicks. Snotball just says 'choose' and hopes he'll get it from you people fighting it out. By not fighting you guys are really pissing him off."

Anko nodded. "Good. If we got to suffer by sitting in that chair and killing people, killing whole worlds, then I want to pay him back at least a little." The words came out in a growl.

"Just how are you doing that whole ' _we don't die when we're supposed to thing?_ '" Nakama asked?

"Quite simple actually," Mirror told her, winking. "Anyone can do it if they had enough time to think things through." She turned to look over the room again. "Anyway, good work."

* * *

"How are things in Lovesville?" Mirror asked Kako and Maki. "Any babies on the way?"

"Not you too," they both said in sync, then looked at each other with a sigh.

"I see you got the whole I'm innocent act down pat," Mirror smirked.

"Wish they would give it a rest," Maki muttered. "It's getting old."

"No way," Mirror countered. "Those sort of jokes never get old. Trust me."

"Chizu sticks to her room a lot," Maki said, changing the subject. "I wonder how she's doing?"

Kako glanced towards the door to Chizu's room, frowning with a tiny, barely noticeable sigh.

Mirror herself sighed as well, not knowing what to say. "I'm worried too," she admitted. "It's just that now is not the time to make an issue out of it. Any new ideas on how to taunt Snotball?" she asked, changing the subject herself.

"When will be the time?" Kako demanded. "I messed up, which I guess you know all about, so I can't make a scene. But you can."

"How?"

The boy clenched his fists, eyeing the strange girl with a desperation almost as fanatical as when he'd attacked Chizu herself. "I don't know," he suddenly admitted in defeat, letting the anger go. "It's my fault anyway. I just wish . . . ." He slumped down in his chair, a lost, hopeless look on his face.

Mirror took a deep breath before placing her hand over the boy's. Still she didn't know what to say. "Don't assume that's the reason she's hidden herself away," she finally told the boy. "She has issues that will need to be dealt with that has nothing to do with you." She gave him a tiny smile of comfort. "And I promise when she deals with them she won't be alone."

"Promise?" he begged, clutching at the strange girl's hand, meeting her gaze with his own despairing one.

"I promise."

"No new ideas on taunting ole Snotty," Maki said, changing the subject for the third time. "I certainly like it, but how important is it? Moji is way faster with that divination stuff of his now." She chewed at her lip, worried.

"The more time the better," Mirror explained. "But it's not critical."

"Oh. That's a relief."

"But from what you tell me all of you kids are doing a great job. Even if you run out of ideas, just by not fighting each other you confuse him. That he isn't getting his kicks annoys him to no end, which is a nice bonus."

"Only too happy to help there," Kako muttered. "Watching people fight and die isn't my idea of fun."

"It's sick, is what it is," Maki exclaimed, screwing up her face. "He enjoys it, just like Koyemshi did."

"There're all sorts," Mirror agreed, resisting a look towards Kodama's room.

"We'll keep working on it," Maki said, looking over at Kako who nodded in agreement.

"We will," the boy reassured her.

"Anyway, sixty-eight minutes before the next fight." Mirror glanced over at the snoring forms of Moji and Waku. "Let the sleeping beauties get their beauty sleep, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

"People, today is the day we make history," Drop Dead informed his would-be victims. "Today is the day one of you dies."

Nakama raised her as if she was in school.

"Yes, Paint Girl?" Drop Dead asked. If they could give nicknames so could he.

The girl held up a bag. "I got more colors that you might like," she told him with a bright and carefree smile.

"Ugh. Let's just skip this okay?"

"But I got a nice brown today," she insisted, pulling a jar of paint out of the bag.

"That looks like poop," Komo said, eyes wide as she shuddered. "What are you trying to do, get him called Mr. Poopie?"

"It's not," Nakama insisted. "It's a pretty color and lots of people wear shirts and pants that exact same color. It doesn't look like poop." She looked around the room.

"It does," Maki insisted.

"I can see the similarity," Kanji said. "I think it would fit him perfectly.

Kako just shook his head and muttered something about poop-obsessed people.

"Shouldn't we wake up the two lovebirds?" Anko asked, walking over to the pair of boys, Waku and Moji, who were still sleeping, still holding each other.

"What about this?" Nakama pulled a jar of neon-green paint out of the bag.

"Ugh!" Ushiro exclaimed, holding his nose, hand over his eyes, looking a bit green himself as if he was bordering on throwing up. "Put that away, please." He cringed away, shuddering violently.

"What?" Nakama insisted, looking around, confused. "People we can't fix him if you don't like any of the colors. "This is perfectly suitable." She held up the jar again. "See."

"There's nothing wrong with me," Drop Dead insisted. "You're the ones who are all crazy."

"Once Kana ate two whole bags of some strange-colored candy," Ushiro told the girl, still looking creeped out. "Next thing I knew she's waking me up crying that she was sick and was going to die. That was the exact color her poop was coming out. That sick and twisted shade of neon-green exactly. It was actually glowing. If you paint Snotball that color one of us is going."

"Oh." The dejected girl sat down, putting the paint away. "Drats."

"People, can we get on with business," Drop Dead asked, wondering why he was even asking. He was the boss after all."

"One minute and thirty-two seconds late," Kako said. "Better, but still not on time."

"Now, who dies?" Drop Dead asked.

"Hey, Cutie," Daichi said and blushed when everyone looked at him. "What?" he asked. "That's her nickname."

Nakama gave a small cough, placing a hand over her mouth. "Penny and Daichi, sitting in a tree, . . . ."

"Hey," the boy exclaimed, turning a bright red. "It's not like that I swear. I was just offering her a bar." He held up the small object as if it was proof of his innocence, then passed it over to Penny. "I have enough for everyone," he told them. "It's something Mirror showed me how to make this morning." He started tossing them out.

Kirie looked at the bar he'd been tossed. It was identical to the one Mirror had given him that morning. _Another few pounds, huh, you old tub of lard,_ he told himself. The boy vigorously shook his head, drawing stares. _Then again, every dying man deserves a last meal. And it's not another few pounds, it's a hundred calories so it's less than a thirtieth of a pound. And,_ he glanced around the room, _in this place we all need our strength._ Working hard to counter the initial negative message he rationalized why it was okay to eat the bar. As Mirror had told him, _if you're going to eat it anyway, drop the guilt. It just makes you feel down, then you want to eat more. Cut the vicious cycle in two somewhere_. He tore open the package.

Penny looked around the room before she tore open the wrapping on the bar Daichi had passed her. _Cutie,_ she mused, smiling even though she knew her face was red. She peered at the boy, wondering if maybe he did like her even if she was a part of this madness. "Good," she gasped a second later.

"Very good," Komo agreed, licking her fingers and the wrapping as if they too were bars. "Someone wake those two up," she commanded. "We're burning daylight here folks."

"They won't take up," Anko replied, tapping the two with her shoe.

"Wake up," Drop Dead roared, hovering over the two. "Rise and shine you dumb mutts." The two boys sleep on, dead to the world.

"You know, I do believe they pulled an all-nighter," Maki said. She looked at the two. "Though I'm not sure what they were doing. Making out it seems." She studied the fake lipstick marks she'd drawn on the two earlier with a pink marker.

"Lovebirds," Nakama muttered. "I'm the only one who's alone."

"Guess they had fun anyway," Anko said with a shrug. "They aren't going to wake up." She too studied the lipstick marks.

"Just let them sleep," Maki said. "We can choose the next pilot after we see who we're fighting."

"Behold your doom," Drop Dead said, pointing at the screen. He took one last look at the sleeping couple, also noting the lipstick marks.

"Desert area again, Ushiro said. "That's good." His eyes then turned towards Kirie. "Guess you're up."

Kirie gulped, staring at the screen where almost an exact copy of the mech he'd fought in ZEarth stood. With a heavy sigh he pushed himself to his feet, wiped his hands on his pants, and marched over to the pilot's chair. The weight of everyone's eyes on him made him feel sick to his stomach, and he could feel himself tremble a little which made him all too aware of how fat he was. For once the unbidden thoughts of his weight were welcomed since even that was better than thinking of the monster that stood outside, ready to destroy them.

"Frig," Drop Dead exclaimed. "Even Fatty here is just ready to up and die. What are you weirdos?" He floated down to the pilot's chair to eye the teen. "Make a fuss," he commanded. "Beg for mercy or do something." He got no reaction. "Oh hell, it'll soon be over anyway," he moaned, floating higher. "That thing will rip you apart. It's from a chain of worlds where the people have improved themselves. They'll crush Fatty here like he's a tin can." He streaked around the room with a cruel laugh. "They made themselves perfect. Fast, smart, and powerful."

Kirie blinked when Drop Dead said the word fast, recalling the talk he'd had with Mirror. When she'd returned to her room the girl had explained to him just how hard it would be to keep his weight under control. She'd also said he was fast and agile.

* * *

"Let's see what they have to say, shall we?" Drop Dead mused in a barbaric and sadistic voice. The screen connecting the two mechs flashed on, showing two men and a woman.

"Wow. Look it's a fat boy," a female voice from the other mech said, laughing.

"Bloody hell." This time it was a muscular man in the enemy mech's pilot chair speaking. "That's it? I'm going to die and all I got to fight is a bloody piece of flab." He clenched his hands, radiating fury.

"Lucky you," the other man said. "Maybe even you can manage this?" He snickered.

"Perhaps," the woman said. "From what I can see it has no weapons, so he might." She shook her head. "But it's Lancetprol we're talking about here. "So don't get your hopes up."

"Turn the screen off," Kirie said, voice eerily calm. Those guys sounded just like many of the bullies he'd encountered over the years. Hearing their voices no longer provoked rage, just weariness.

"Huh?" Drop Dead stared at the boy, feeling like crying. "Whimper?" he begged. "You're about to die."

"Die?" Kirie laughed at the ceramic looking creature. "Those losers will spend the next hour making fools of themselves." He shrugged. "I wonder if I got time for a nap?"

"You blasted insect," the man called Lancetprol bellowed. "I got to waste my life on a fucking piece of shit like you and you're mocking me."

In what was a blur the enemy mech snapped forward, arms reaching out to grasp MEarth. MEarth wasn't there. With multiple sonic booms it'd shot three kilometers to safety.

"Huh?" Lancetprol said, eyes blinking.

"That was, . . . ." Maki went silent. "This mech isn't that fast," she finally added. "It isn't."

Penny stood up with just a hand resting on her chair. "How?"

Drop Dead turned to look at the boy, then at the screen. Confused and unsure of himself he said nothing.

With a frown Kirie stared at the screen showing the other mech, eyes half closed, recalling his youth and the stories his mother had told him. He'd first started walking when he was less than six months old. At one when he'd seen a ballet being performed on television he'd tried to imitate the moves. Then, for the next two years, he'd jumped and twirled around the small place they'd been staying at. He'd been overweight at the time, but not the monstrosity he was now. From the age of three, which was when his own memories started, he could remember soaring, twirling, leaping, . . . . He'd been free. At age four he's started ballet classes. It ended at age nine. He weighed too much and it seemed all those diets just failed. Not only did he crave food day and night, his body was just too blasted efficient at storing fat.

A flicker in the other pilot's eye caught the boy's attention and he automatically commanded MEarth to flee another three kilometers. The action was repeated several times with the enemy growing more and more frustrated.

"Damn you," Lancetprol scream. "Stay still you blasted insect."

Kirie smiled and released a sigh of happiness, feeling free. In MEarth he didn't have to move the fat that'd cost him his hoped-for future. In one of these mechs he was healthy and strong. He could move as he dreamed, and his dreams were the stuff of legends, of ballets and dances performed for silent, awestruck crowds that numbers in the millions. He twirled in jubilation with the crude and clumsy-looking machine called MEarth joining him in the song called freedom. MEarth's ends broke the sound barrier, creating a sandstorm that rose for kilometers, covering the desert. When the mech finally stopped spinning the massive tornado it'd spawned still roared, still kicking up sand with its winds shrieking.

"Oh mommy," Drop Dead said, knowing things just weren't going to go his way today.

The enemy mech marched forward, running, and eight times MEarth mocked it, always evading with a speed and agility that spoke of dance and joy and perfect freedom. It spun each time, creating a storm that raged across the desert as a victory shout. A dozen more times the enemy snapped forward, then a hundred. Each time Kirie casually watched, knowing Lancetprol's moves as if reading his thoughts. Ballet was often synchronized dancing, and moves were telegraphed. He's been good at that too.

"Stop," Lancetprol screamed, foam splattering from his mouth. "You can't do this." His two comrades were silent, also confused and worried, knowing if MEarth carried any weapons at all they were doomed.

With a long forgotten pleasure filling his veins, Kirie momentarily forgot his self-hatred. He also knew the dance wasn't perfect. It was too easy, lacking the capacity to awe. He watched and waited, reading his enemy's moves and suddenly knew what the dance was truly supposed to be like. Dancers touched, they embraced. The next time the enemy leaped forward MEarth did the same, moving beneath the uplifted foot of the other mech. There, just before that foot hit the ground, MEarth spin, again breaking the sound barrier. The enemy spun with it, flying a short distance upward, embraced by the tornado MEarth had created.

"Christ," Kako said, almost making it a prayer.

Penny, still standing, knew she would never forget these kids. Even if another eight-hundred people passed through these chairs, or even eight thousand, still she would remember this. She watched as MEarth moved, and her heart sang with it, knowing what freedom tasted like. And her soul yearned for more.

Knowing it wasn't right to touch the enemy again so soon Kirie merely evaded the next attack. Then, when his heart told him the time was right, he leaped forward once more to meet the other dancer. This time MEarth stopped short of the giant foot and waited. Then, spinning, it knocked it to the left, sending it crashing to the ground. Still spinning a tornado covered the downed dancer. _Evade,_ the boy's heart spoke to him, sending a message from his soul, so he evaded. Then he knocked the other mech to the right. _Spin, evade, left, evade, right, those are the first five steps. What are the others?_ Sighing happily, knowing he would discover them, the boy smiled.

"No mech can move that fast," one of the enemy pilots spoke. Above his head another of the ceramic creatures was silently watching.

Kirie shrugged, lost in the call of the dance. _Evade,_ was the next step. He knew that and did so, vaguely aware of the multiple sonic booms that rippled out from MEarth. _Backward,_ his soul sang, and the boy knew he'd just discovered the seventh step. This time MEarth moved to his left and spun with MEarth's edge hitting the leg of the other mech that was still off the ground. It crashed backward, rolling with the violence of the act. Kirie now beamed, knowing he knew the full routine. _Evade,_ and he did so. But now came the last and hardest step of the dance. When the enemy once again charged he moved to the right and spun, hitting the leg that was still on the ground. MEarth rattled, and a wire or two broke, but the enemy now went flying forward, which was the ninth and second-to-last step. As with each step, a tornado of sand rose to cover the enemy.

The dance repeated: spin, evade, left, evade, right, evade, backward, evade, forward. To the growing concern of the enemy, and the wonder of his own friends, Kirie dance the dance time and time again. Lancetprol's roars came from the enemy cockpit while his two friends talked together frantically. Hours passed and while they were still in shock the enemy eventually gained confidence. As humiliating as it looked, their mech wasn't being damaged. His own friends started to grow concern, also knowing the enemy could last as long as they did. Then the dance changed.

As before Lancetprol raced forward, which was all he could do, but the left arm of the mech he rode was lower than the right, not having compensated after being thrown to the ground.

"Get that arm up," the woman pilot roared. "Bad enough to be shamed like this."

"I can't," was Lanncetprol's shocked reply. He too had believed he could merely wear the untouchable enemy down.

A dozen more dances and the right arm was now out of alignment, being slightly higher than it should be. Twenty more and the left arm was even lower.

"Sand," Daichi exclaimed. "It's clogging things up."

"Don't be insane," Drop Dead said, wishing he could just kill the kids. But what if what Kako had said was true; what if his boss got rid of him for doing a poor job? Fuming, frozen with indecision, he continued to watch as shocked as the others.

"Sand," Daichi repeated again. "You wouldn't think it would affect something that size and that powerful, but it's still getting in the machinery." He looked around the room. "Sand is stronger than steel. When it gets inside it can scratch and cut just about anything. And those tornados, they're driving it at hundred of kilometers per hour. It's getting into every crack there is." He turned to stare at the enemy, dumbstruck. "He's using something so small we can barely see it to take down something that huge." He shook his head, knowing he would never look at the quiet, fat boy the same ever again.

With the enemy pilots now quietly staring in horror their mech ceased to be able to move its arms at all. Struggling, with only the use the mech's legs, rising from each fall now took them more than a minute. Then the left leg started to stick and rather than rush into combat they hobbled. Finally it too ceased to work and they remained on the ground, right leg working but unable to do much of anything. Then the final step of the dance echoed in Kirie's brain, and he sent MEarth racing around the fallen enemy, spinning as he did so with dozens of sonic booms racing out in each direction. A wall of wind rose and with it came more sand. It started to cover the enemy. When nothing remained to be seen, Kirie backed off. The dance was over, but the remembered joy still sang in his heart.

"But how do we kill them?" Maki asked, eyeing the boy as if he were a god. "We wait and outlast them?"

"I could use another bar," the boy said, snatching it from the air with ease. "They're already dead," he told the girl then. "I bet that machine produces a lot of heat, and it has nowhere to go." He took a bite. "We don't need to see this. Turn off the screen please." On it he could see the faces of those three pilots, each knowing they would soon die horribly, and when they did their world would be gone. , They stood and saluted. Then the screen flickered off.

* * *

Three hours later when the pile of sand slumped down, showing the enemy mech had disappeared, Kirie remained sitting, though his eyes did seek out Kako's. "I can't say it's always been fun," he told the boy who'd once been his only friend. "But thanks for being my friend. You knew I was only using you, but you never objected about that even once." He grinned. "And despite all the insults you're good on your word. You never once told anyone."

"Don't say it like you're dying," Kako said, eyes filling with tears which he wiped away. "We've had three miracles, so four isn't beyond hope."

"They're for people who deserve them." The boy blinked, wiping away his own tears. "Though you know, I wouldn't mind one. Even if nothing else there's always food."

"Idiot," Kako replied. "If a jerk like me gets a second chance, someone like you had better. Otherwise it would just be too unfair."

Kirie shrugged. "Life isn't fair," he softly told the other boy. "We all know that. Sometimes it downright sucks. "He stared upward. "I just wish . . . ." His voice faded, as did his life.

"No more miracles," Drop Dead told them. "That would just be too much even for you lot. Now, some grieving, please."

Penny stood up. 'If it worked before, then I'm up to trying again." She paused and for some reason found herself looking at Daichi. "Sorry," she told him, though she wasn't sure what she was apologizing for.

Daichi smiled. "I hope it works."

Penny stood beside the boy's chair and leaned down. A minute passed and still the boy didn't move. Then five. Frowning she looked up, glancing around at the others. "Maybe if you tried," she suggested.

"We will," Maki told her. "We all will." She looked around the room at the other girls and got nods of agreement.

Kako shook his head, knowing that wouldn't work. Standing, he slowly walked over to his friend and gently pushed Penny to one side. Then, leaning down, he pressed his lips against those of his dead friend. Seconds later Kirie's eyes started to flicker, and he looked up. "Jackpot," the boy whispered happily so that only Kako could hear.

"Right," Kako snorted and stood back, wiping his lips while the others actually cheered. "Seems it's four for four," he then said. grinning from ear to ear.

Drop Dead dropped to the floor, almost wishing he himself would just drop dead. This was getting too weird for him. Dumb brats that probably couldn't lose a fight if they tried, and dead people who just wouldn't stay dead. He turned to glare silently at Penny who was smiling and actually standing so close to the one they called Daichi that they were touching. Sickening. But at least he knew she wasn't the source of the undeadness that was messing with his fun. He'd considered getting rid of her, but eventually those kids would die and she would be her usual sad and miserable self. It was too much work to grab another who expressed misery so perfectly. Having her around was normally as good as stealing a lollipop from a baby. They screeched loudly while she moped exquisitedly. Perhaps it was the fact she'd been with her family and friends when she'd joined the game. Her parents, her brother and two older sisters, two of her grandparents, two aunts and an uncle had been with her then along with the boyfriends of her sisters and her own two best friends. They'd died to protect her. Sometimes he would see her sitting with an expression of loss on her face and know she was trying to remember them, but that their faces had been lost over the years amidst all the others who'd come and gone. It was an expression that stirred such warmth within him that parting with her would actually hurt. Sometimes you just wanted to savor a fine meal.

* * *

"So," Mirror said, entering Kirie's room. "That's the sort of porn you like."

The boy frantically tapped the off button, blushing red. "I, um, . . . ."

"At least now I know my underwear draw was safe." She sat on the bed.

"I locked the door."

"It was jarred. And I did knock." She shrugged, pointing at the now blank screen. "I guess that's why Kako's kiss was more effective." The girl grinned.

The boy frowned, wondering if he hadn't quite closed the door. Was no use locking it when it wasn't closed. He sighed. "You didn't zap it or anything, did you?"

"The door? No." Mirror leaned back. "There was no need to even if it had been locked. I could've always returned later."

Kirie nodded, believing her. "I got lucky again," he said, regarding the fight. When the girl went to respond he grinned and shook his head. "I got lucky," he insisted. "But I'll take that sort of lucky any day."

Mirror nodded. "Also skill," she said.

"Some," he admitted. "I always dreamed of dancing, but of course for me it was out of the question. That was a dance, by the way."

She nodded. "I know, though I doubt the others do." Her head tilted again. "Except for Kakao, he knows as well."

"What about the people of this world?" The question was asked calmly, yet behind it there was a need.

"They know," Mirror assured him. "All of them watched and they know how to dance. They saw what it was and they are as awestruck as your friends are."

"Good," the boy replied without thinking. He leaned back against the wall, satisfied that he'd danced on a stage that rivaled all those he'd dreamed of.

Mirror leaned back beside him. "On a stage no one cares if you're fat," she told him.

"But people like me can't dance," came the sad reply. "Ballet is hard enough on the feet as it is. When you're heavy." He shrugged. "Not that it matters. I can never beat that anyway."

Mirror laughed. "There're other stages than dance you know."

Kirie turned to look at the girl. "I've never thought about that. I just wanted to dance. But now that I have on a stage that can never be rivaled I'm happy. I will at least try something else."

Mirror nodded. Dancing had been the boy's obsession as much as food had. Freed of that obsession he would now try something else, and he would succeed at it.

"That's two dreams done," Kirie said, smiling, eyes closed. "Pretty good I would say."

"What was the other?"

"Getting a kiss from Kako," he admitted, blushing. "I never could decide if I wanted the kiss because I like him or if I knew it would gross him out. Our relationship is complicated. He used me and I used him in return."

"How so? I know he used to bully you but how did you use him?"

"At school I would get bullied more than he did. But when he became a gopher for those bullies he let me tag along. While it wasn't a guarantee against being targeted it certainly helped. Unless I stuck out somehow, or poked my nose into something, I was left alone. He didn't need to do that. Nor did he need to keep my secrets. That I like dancing and that I was . . . ." He pointed at the computer screen. "Like that." The boy shrugged. "He never told. Had he really wanted to make my life miserable all he had to do was talk, and leave me to my own defenses. It would've been hell. He didn't even threaten to do that. When frustrated, as happened a lot, he got angry but I think that was just the place we were in. It had nothing good about it, but it sure had a whole lot of bad."

"I see," Mirror said, considering what he'd said.

"Sometimes I felt guilty about it," Kirie admitted. "I only got to avoid being bullied, other than by him, because he did stuff I knew I could never do. By letting him use me I avoided the words and taunts of the hundreds of people who would've taken their frustrations out on me. Not to mention the more physical things the bullies themselves would've done. It was a good deal, and I would do it again, but I had to sell my soul, so to speak.

"You couldn't let your mother see you come home beat up. You had to protect her."

The boy nodded. "You sure you're not a mind reader?" he asked.

Later, after she'd left, he tapped the computer back on. Rather than the site he'd been looking at it showed a hand holding a large, strange coin. Below the image read the words: Bec _ome a magician overnight. Easy to learn coin tricks anyone can master._

* * *

In her room Chizu waited, knowing when the main room was empty Kodama would arrive. Early in the morning he would leave before the others woke up. During that time he would . . . . She shook her head, unable to understand what drove him. She was a bad girl, and deserved to suffer, but . . . . It didn't make sense. And did she deserve to suffer so much? _Yes_ , her mind answered. _You do._ But even that voice no longer sounded so sure. _How long?_ she asked, already knowing the answer. Until she died. And while Mirror, or perhaps it was Sakura, would save those who piloted MEarth, she doubted the girl would have any reason to save those who died via other means. Nor did she wanted to be saved. She rested her hand on her stomach and stared at the ceiling, waiting for hell to arrive.

* * *

End of Chapter


	7. A Thousand Cuts

_**Trigger Warning:**_ Once again this chapter contains graphic scenes of sexual violence and/or torture. Be warned. Also be warned, it's way too long.

Definition: Decision theory is the mathematical study of strategies for optimal decision-making between options involving different risks or expectations of gain or loss depending on the outcome.

 _Time: Early morning of the next day._

* * *

 _ **A Thousand Cuts**_

The boy was stretched out on the bed, pillow comfortably stuffed under his chin, eyes half shut. _This world is a paradise,_ he thought, radiating an aura of bliss. On the floor beside him was the girl he'd spent the night playing with, giving her the privilege of being a sacrifice to the chosen. Not that she was dead yet, but he was working on that. The others wouldn't understand, so it would have to be some form of death that didn't draw their suspicions. A tiny, feeble whimper came from her lips, causing an involuntary sigh of pleasure in him. Until he had a replacement it was okay, but bringing her life to an end with his own two hands would be the ultimate rapture, and he was eager for that time. He wanted to watch her eyes as they dimmed, as she understood that her time was near, and see the gratitude. That she would be grateful he was sure of, for it would mean an end to her pain, an end to the many many torments he'd visited upon her. She would thank him, acknowledging his right as the chosen to decide her fate, to judge her.

Idly he reached out, poking the bleeding mass of flesh, drawing an agonized gasp of pain. Given the number of times he'd used his knitting needles on her it was surprising she was still alive. At times she'd been like a pincushion with a dozen of the holy tools penetrating her body with some passing right through her. _This is heaven,_ he sighed, briefly closing his eyes in sheer pleasure. He turned his attention to the girl's stomach, wondering how long it would be before her pregnancy would be noticeable. _Never,_ his mind reminded him. _She won't be alive that long._ That the baby was still alive surprised him, but the girl did, even if she was unaware of it, act to protect it. Her hand was always on her stomach, always cradling the thing he thought she might hate. Yet she tried to keep it safe. That puzzled him. Not that it would matter for much longer.

 _Suicide,_ the boy mused, nodding to himself. _If I left a letter that could work._ A smile lit up his face, enhancing his handsome features. He would kill her child, and then kill her. He pondered what to write on the note. _I'm sorry. I just can't stop. I'm a bad girl and I need to be punished, but I can't bear the pain any longer. I will use the needles on myself again like I have for a while now. But this time I won't stop. Not that it matters; my baby is dead. I'm sorry. Chizu._ He nodded again. Short and to the point. It would explain why she was full of needle holes, and why she was dead. Hidden on this world who would know the difference. And even if they suspected something, how would they prove it? With the rest of them being just kids there could be no autopsy. He took a deep breath, stretching before relaxing again. It was a plan.

"Hey, Chizu," Kodama said, stroking the girl's belly. "Would you like to kill the baby?" He grinned at her. "I want to see your expression when we do, and I'm curious what it will look like. How do you think we should do it?" He poked one of the needles that stuck out of her body, and briefly twisted it, bringing forth a soul-racking gasp that brought him to rapture even though he wasn't in her.

Bzzzzz. With an annoyed sigh, the boy grabbed his phone and turned the alarm off. It was getting well into the early hours of the morning, forcing him for the moment to abandon his plans. It just wouldn't do to allow others to see him leaving the girl's room. Certainly not when she would be dead the next morning. Standing, he smiled down at the girl. "Tomorrow, after we kill the baby I will kill you," he reassured her. When her tormented, blood-shot eyes peered up at him, he saw the gratitude.

Careful not to trail any blood, Kodama left the room and headed to one of the two washrooms assigned to the boys. His step was light, while his heart sang a song of unbridled bloodlust.

* * *

Mirror walked through the main room grateful to see Moji wasn't at his normal place. Glancing at his room door, eyes unfocusing for a brief second, she noted he was inside asleep. After missing the previous fight he'd been cranky, but he'd learned his lesson. She supposed it didn't help that he and Waku had replaced Kako and Maki as the most famous couple. Upon awakening the two had found that the others had made them 'One Day Anniversary Gifts.' She shook her head, wondering at some of those gifts. While she saw the water guns as nice items for kids, and the glow-in-the-dark body paint, which many kids used for simple tattoo-like pictures, wasn't too bad. On the other hand, the variety of condoms and lubricants aimed at gay men that the two had received was staggering. These were thirteen-year-olds for crying out loud. Just where had they come across those ideas.

"Morning," Waku greeted the girl who'd stopped beside him.

"Morning," Mirror greeted. "You and Moji try out any of those fancy condoms and lubricants yet?" She knew it was pure evil to tease them like that, but it was just too good to pass up. The way they turned red, the gritting of teeth, the clenching of fists, . . . . Anyone would find that amusing, right?

"We did," Waku casually informed the girl. "The condoms made excellent water balloons for anyone who made a joke about us."

"And the lubricants?"

"Let's just say you had better be careful when sitting down."

"Oh?" She tilted her head and looked around the room. "I would've thought putting some on the floor to make people slip would've been more your style?"

Waku nodded. "We did consider that, but we didn't want to actually hurt anyone."

Mirror studied the boy. While the kids were holding up, they were also perfectly aware of what they'd done in ZEarth and MEarth. Those they fought died, as well as the worlds those people came from. In return they'd each faced death themselves and died, leaving them with an acute sense of responsibility when it came to hurting others. Joke as they may, in many ways they seemed way older than a mere thirteen. "Why are you so wet if you were the ones with the water-condoms?" she asked.

Waku looked down at the soaking wet uniform he wore. "It seems the others knew what we would use them for, and made a stockpile of their own that was ten times what we had." The boy cringed. "It was a slaughter."

"Oh." Mirror nodded in sympathy. "Don't overdo it looking at that," she told the boy, pointing at the model of MEarth. "I have a feeling today is going to be a bad day. Don't wear yourself out." She sighed, refusing to glance towards Kodama's room or that of Chizu.

"Are we going to lose a fight?" Waku was instantly fully alert, eyes wide and ready for battle.

Mirror tried to give a nonchalant shrug but failed. "Just try to be at your best, okay?"

The boy stood straight and saluted. "Yes sir."

Mirror turned her attention to Machi who was sitting in a corner, occasionally glancing at her phone and then at Ushiro's door. If she had to guess the girl had plans for the boy today. "Morning," she greeted the girl.

"Morning," Machi beamed up at the strange girl. "Four battles and we won all of them in a mech without weapons. Can that continue?"

"You haven't exactly been fighting wimps," Mirror replied, "so I don't see why not. If you can beat one tough enemy you should be able to beat another. Just remember, you're a team."

Machi nodded. "We will," she reassured the girl. "And we won't let our guard down."

"You remember the deal, right?" Mirror changed the flow of conversation, eyes now seeking out Kodama's room door.

"Every word," Machi replied, attention now focused entirely on the girl. "You're not trying to change anything, are you?" Her eyes lit up while her body now claimed it was ready for battle.

"The demis always keep their word. For a race that is immortal that is a necessity, least lies and deception build into regret and cause war."

Machi frowned, feeling a cold shiver run down her spine. The tone had been so ominous. "Then you will keep your word?" she asked again with less confidence.

Mirror turned away before replying."We ask that you remember that deal when today has passed."

"What do you mean?" Machi asked, then blinked. The girl was gone. Looking around, a worried expression on her face, she hurried over to Waku.

"What did Mirror say to you?"

Waku's worried eyes flickered upwards to peer at the girl. "That she had a feeling today was going to be a bad day."

"Damn." Machi closed her arms around herself, feeling another cold shiver run down her spine.

"I think we might lose a fight. This world might die." There was panic in the boy's voice. "What do we do?"

"I . . . ." The girl shook her head, trying to focus. "She said if we work as a team we should be okay. But maybe we aren't."

"Maybe something else is going to get messed up," Waku said, thinking. His eyes suddenly focused on the girl. "What if we get discovered and the people here do like they did on our Earth?"

Machi nodded, thinking the idea over with her lips pursed. "Call everyone and have them come back here," she ordered. "No one visits here, so anyone giving us away is someone who's leaves today. No one leaves."

"Okay." Waku pulled out his cell phone. "I'm sending a group message to everyone to hurry back if they're away, and suggesting we have an emergency meeting soon as we can."

The girl nodded. "Good. She looked around. Only Maki and Komo leave very often," she mused. "Wonder where they go?"

Waku shrugged. "This world is great and it seemed perfectly safe to let people explore."

"Not anymore."

The boy nodded in agreement. "Seems nice, but who knows what the government is really like. They could come in shooting."

"What's happening?" Moji spoke, running his hand through his bed hair.

"We need Intuition Guy," Machi explained. "Do some divination to see if we'll get discovered today."

"Will do." He pulled out his phone.

Around them people poured from their rooms. When Ushiro moved close, gently touching her hand, Machi calmed down a little. Surveying the room. She noted Chizu was out of her bedroom, sitting in a chair beside the wall, while Kodama seemed a bit more lively today. For some reason he always slept in, but when in MEarth the way he radiated a lack of concern really helped to irritate Drop Dead, which was something she loved. "Morning," she greeted him and got a nod in reply. Though he seemed just a bit too quiet and seemed to be on the shy side, she liked him. But then she liked anyone who could get on Drop Dead's nerves.

"I get nothing," Moji replied. "Which is strange." He shrugged. "Technically this doesn't involve the multiverse, so I should be able to answer it."

Waku buried his face in his hands, then ran them up through his hair. "Ask if Sakura or Mirror are interfering?" he suggested.

"What's up?" Maki asked, bursting into the room, breathing hard with her hair wet. She had Komo in tow.

"Mirror's intuition suggests today might be a bad day," Waku explained.

"Does she have intuition like Moji?" Komo asked.

Everyone shrugged. "No idea, but she does tend to know things," Ushiro replied. "Like when a fight is about to start."

"We can't take it lightly," Machi added.

"No luck there either," Moji said, sounding frustrated. "Damn," He muttered angrily. "Why isn't this working?" The boy growled the question, not expecting an answer.

"You're out of juice," Mirror explained, making everyone jump. "No juice means no intuition until it recharges." She studied the boy. 'You didn't think it cost nothing to use, did you?" From his shocked expression she knew he had.

"But I got some rest like you told me to," the boy said in a near panic.

"After you ran yourself down to zero, then as soon as you woke up you ran yourself down to zero again." The girl shook her head wearily. "I know what you're all thinking: why didn't I tell him before?" She looked around the room. "I'll give you the answer grownups usually give to kids: You'll understand when you're older."

"But . . . ." Moji just sat, staring at his phone.

"Then again," Mirror said. "This is not the best of times to have you run so low." She sighed heavily as if burdened with something that tore at her insides. For that brief moment to the kids she seemed beyond age. "You now have enough power, or shall we stick with the word juice, to use your intuition a few times. Don't waste it."

Moji nodded, hand poised to tap at his phone.

"I suggest you wait until you're in MEarth so you can pick the best pilot," the girl suggested softly.

"Okay." With obvious effort the boy put the phone away.

"Was that the problem?" Waku asked. "The thing that was going to cause a bad day?"

"No, yes." Mirror shrugged. "Things are interrelated, so you can call it a factor." She looked into space, eyes unfocusing. "Next fight in an hour."

"How long to recharge?" Moji hurried to ask, just knowing the girl was about to disappear.

Mirror looked at him, thinking. "It varies," she finally replied. "Stress burns your life force, which is what your intuition uses. It's much like MEarth in that respect except it won't kill you. So does things like anger. If you want it to regenerate fast, relax and read a good book. or be more like Waku and ogle girls more." She shrugged. "Also try to learn how to use it more efficiently. The way you choose pilots is abysmally inefficient."

"How do I learn that?" He shot the question out frantically, giving a sigh of relief when he saw she hadn't vanished yet.

"Ask Machi. She's a pro at computers and decision theory."

Moji opened his mouth again, but the girl was gone. No one saw her momentarily appear behind Kodama and briefly touch him. Then she vanished a second time.

* * *

Penny looked up, almost smiling, as the strange group of kids appeared. In her heart there was a small, secret song that called her eyes to that of Daichi; then she did smile. The smile faded for the boy only barely noticed her sitting in one of the chairs. On his face there was a frown while his affect was one of distraction and worry. "What's wrong?" she immediately asked, feeling the barely controlled panic spread to her as well.

The boy shook his head, glancing towards Drop Dead.

"Ah." She nodded her head, knowing if it concerned the fight then he couldn't tell her. Even if he was to trust her, the enemy, Drop Dead would still overhear it.

"Seats, people," Waku commanded, faking a confidence he didn't feel. "Let's put our all into this, and please remember, we're a team."

Drop Dead looked around the room, noting with some relief that Paint Girl had no paint today. "Who dies today?" he asked, feeling light-hearted for the first time since he'd met those miserable kids. He even managed to eke out something of a minor thrill as the dejected kids filed past him, taking their seats.

"Two minutes and thirty seconds," Kako said, though his heart wasn't in it. "But who cares."

"Don't worry," Nakama said. "I'll find a nice shade of paint to fix those spots that didn't come out right."

Moji slowly pointed to Kodama, knowing he'd just burned over half the juice Mirror had given him. He wouldn't be able to divine anything to help the group today. At least not if he wanted to keep anything for emergencies. He sighed, feeling useless as he took his seat next to Waku.

"Okay, from your expressions I take it there will be no strange miracles today?" Drop Dead asked.

"So, that's the enemy," Kodama said unhappily, having taken the central seat. "What a waste. The others got to fight something worth fighting, but I get this?" He sighed, wanting to scream, but knew he had an act to put on. And regardless of what the others thought, he knew he wouldn't die. He was one of the chosen. "So who is it?" the boy asked. "Show me the pilot."

Feeling relieved, Waku studied the enemy mech. It was, to a fault, an identical copy of MEarth. It obviously had no weapons and if it came from a peaceful Earth its pilots would probably be poor at fighting. Of all the mechs they'd fought, this was the one he knew they would win against. And unlike the enemy, which had fifteen lights, they all had experience. "Do your best, Kodama," he said, encouraging the guy.

"Piece of cake," came the immediate and confident reply.

"Today, people, you have the honor of beating up a tiny kid." Drop Dead moved aside, showing the enemy pilot to be a kid of around six. "Remember, the younger the pilot the more life force they have, so be careful."

Kodama studied the enemy, actually laughing to the shock of the others. "Perhaps Ushiro should be the one to pilot today?" he suggested, looking at the girl who did look a lot like a younger version of Kana.

Ushiro shuddered, closing his eyes. _It's not Kana_ he told himself, yet kept his eyes closed.

"Nice landscape," Kodama then noted, studying the city they were in. Filled with multi-story buildings, with wide streets bordered by trees and grass. it looked quiet and peaceful. From the windows there peered curious faces, while the people on the street were casually staring and talking. It seemed that while the appearance of the two mechs had startled them there was no panic. _This is going to be fun,_ the boy immediately told himself. He shifted in his seat to hide the erection he had.

"Kodama, be careful," Maki warned. "You could kill tens of thousands here." She was now white-faced.

 _I hope,_ the boy gleefully mused, with his eyes now showing nothing but dark lust.

"Maybe they'll evacuate," Komo wondered aloud. "If so we can always wait."

 _Fuck no, this is going to be good._ The aroused boy licked his lips, drooling.

"We can give you time to evacuate the city," Waku offered. He looked towards Kodama, frowning, knowing something was off. "Don't move," he ordered.

"Jenny, destroy the bad people," a man's voice ordered.

"They're just some big kids," the girl protested. "They're not bad. Are they?" She looked up at the man.

"They're using a kid to make us hesitate," Nakama suddenly said. "They're trying to use that as a weapon." She looked around the city outside. "And that's why we're in a city that hasn't been evacuated. "We can't move without killing people." The outraged girl turned back towards the screen. "Monster," she screamed.

"What choice do we have?" A woman came into view on the screen. "We were given a month to prepare and we got no weapons. Not that they would do much good anyway. Not against these things. If we want to live . . . ." She wiped at the tears in her eyes. "If we want to live, then we must become monsters. With their life force we got to use children to counter what others have. We can mourn later. But if we lose then it's all gone. Everything."

Nakama opened her mouth again, then shut it, wondering what it was like to sacrifice fifteen kids to save two or three billion. The math was blindingly simple, yet something in her screamed against it. Not that she had any right to judge. They'd sacrificed fifteen worlds to save not their own Earth but the people they knew and loved. And they were doing it again, just to save and protect a few of their friends when their world was already safe. "True," she admitted. "I'm sorry."

"You're like us," the woman said. "You have a mech with no weapons, suggesting your world has no weapons. Yet you've won battles?"

Nakama nodded. "We have, and we will win this one as well. We're sorry."

"As am I." Briefly the woman's hand rose to pat the girl beside her on the head, ruffling her hair. "I hope we win, but if we do lose, we wish you luck with the rest of your battles. Better a world that knows peace win this than one filled with war and strife." She shook her head sadly. "Those who forced this upon us showed us what we might face. There were worlds where there was only ruin, places where people lived for war. It was insane. it makes no sense." She sighed and gave them a sad smile. "But I'm only rambling now, hoping to avoid what is to come."

Nakama nodded. "Should we lose, then we wish you luck as well. As you said, better a world of peace than one of war."

"Honey, attack the big machine you see on the screen."

The girl frowned again, looking confused. All her life she'd been taught that fighting was bad, yet now she had to fight. She was confused, and despite the people around her, scared and lonely.

"Honey," Chizu said, leaning forward slightly, having spoken without first thinking. "Do you remember how you got to that room?" Her voice was low and gentle.

"No. I don't remember. I was at school and then I was here." She looked around, then back at Chizu. "Are you bad people?"

"I guess you could call us that," the girl admitted, giving her a sad smile. "But you see this is all a game. We're at our school as well with lots of computers and stuff. It sure looks real, doesn't it?"

Jenny nodded. "Are those real people outside?"

"Nope," Chizu replied. "It's just lots of big screens with people on them. You've played games, right? And everyone is fine afterwards."

"Oh. I have. My big brother lets me play on his computer all the time. He's the best." She gave a big grin. "He pretends to get mad, but he never is."

"I see." Chizu smiled again. "I guess big brothers are like that. I got a big sister and she's special too."

Jenny nodded.

"So you ready to play the game?" Chizu asked. "Just ignore what's on the screen outside, okay? It's nothing but a big movie and not a nice one. Little girls shouldn't watch it."

"Why can I see it then?"

"Pfft." Chizu pointed at the man, making a dismissive sound as she did so. "That silly boy there messed up the film," she explained. "No cake at the party after we're done for him."

"Party?" Jenny's eyes lit up and she sat up straighter. She had to swallow so as to not drool.

"Yep. You and all your friends. That is if you win. If you don't then you still get some cake, but there's an extra prize for the winner."

"What is it?" She wiggled in her seat, unable to stay still. Her eyes, filled with excitement, were now focused on the strange girl.

"That's a secret," Chizu told her. "So do you best and we'll see, okay?"

The girl nodded rapidly. "Okay," she said, smiling.

A trembling hand rose to pat the girl on the head again, while tear filled eyes looked across the screen, questioning Chizu.

"Even monsters like us can only go so far," Chizu explained. "If there are to be worst atrocities, let the blame be on others."

"Thank you."

Chizu sat back in her chair, weary and tired, with every part of her in such torment that she felt like breaking and going mad. Still she smiled at the girl, encouraging her. She wasn't sure what'd made her speak like that, not with the pain speaking brought, yet now she felt less alone than she had for a long time. _Perhaps,_ she quietly mused, _I just wanted my last actions to be something decent. It's not all that long before we'll be back on that strange Earth, and Kodama will visit me. Then it'll be over._ He was, she noted, the only person in the room, with the exception of Drop Dead, whose eyes weren't filled with tears.

The two giant mechs clashed together, crushing beneath them dozens of buildings, ending an unknowable number of lives. With that the people panicked and started to flee. Precious few made it.

Kodama fumed, knowing he couldn't rant at the stupid slut as he'd hoped. The others were weeping and if he was to behave in any way that upset the enemy pilot they would crucify him. So he kept his mouth shut, wiggling MEarth around again and again, destroying buildings he would otherwise have missed. For a while he ran from the dumb cunt, letting her chase him, and in the process they left a train of ruin across the whole length of the city. That'd been fun.

"Stop playing around," Waku ordered. "There's no need for this."

 _Bastard,_ Kodama muttered lowly, seething. This would be so much more fun if they weren't around. Then he could roll over the whole city, teasing and taunting the enemy kid as he did so. Seeing her cry like that would've been so much more exciting. Instead, the dumb thing actually looked like she was enjoying herself, twisting and turning in her seat as if that were needed to move her mech. Dumb.

it wasn't really a competition, though the twisted pilot of MEarth did try to draw the battle out. So for hours they moved in a crude dance across the city, leaving wreckage in their wake. The girl tried to ram MEarth, heedless of whether she did damage. Kodama in return struck at a slant, letting the edge of MEarth cut fragile wires from the body of the enemy mech. It wasn't something that would've worked on any of the others they'd faced, but here it was more than sufficient. Despite his desire to make the battle last forever, all too soon for the blood-crazed boy the enemy mech fell apart, having lost too many wires to keep its shape.

"I've lost," Jenny said, sniffing.

"It's okay, honey." Both the man and woman wrapped their arms around the girl. "It's okay."

"Hey, Jenny," Chizu spoke again, keeping her voice low and soft. "What sort of cake do you like?"

"Blueberry," the girl replied. "It's sooo good."

"I see," Chizu replied, giving a small laugh. "I'm sure there'll be plenty at the party then." She paused, looking a bit thoughtful. "Question is, do we let that guy have any?" she said, pointing at the man. "He did mess up the movie for this game."

"If I get any, I'll share some of mine," Jenny replied, wiping at her eyes. "Do I get some?"

"Of course. I'm partial to lemon cake myself, but I think I'll try blueberry today. I've never had it before."

"It's sooo good," the girl replied. "I love it. My brother always teases me and says I'll turn into a blueberry."

"Oh, does he now. And what sort of cake does he like?"

"Chocolate. It's good but it isn't blueberry."

"Hmm," Chizu mused. "You know, that sounds good too. I think I'll have two pieces of cake and use two forks. I'll eat them at the same time, one bite of blueberry and one bite of chocolate. Then I'll chew them together and swallow. Blueberry-chocolate cake."

"Silly," Jenny giggled. "You can't eat cake like that." She shook her head. Then she shrunk down in her seat, looking down while she twiddled her fingers.

"What is it, honey?" Chizu asked, already knowing.

"Will you tell me what the special reward is?" she asked, looking back up with the cutest look on her face.

"Of course. And we'll even let you play with it, won't we guys?" She looked around.

"Of course," Ushiro managed to gasp out. "All you want, Kana."

"Of course, the rest of the group echoed." Only Kodama said nothing, choosing to remain quiet.

"See, they're not bad kids," Jenny said, looking up at the man and woman. "They're just big kids. I like them."

The screen went dark as Kodama, spinning MEarth time and time again, finally smashed the enemy cockpit.

"The end," Drop Dead announced, floating down from the ceiling. "A lovely victory, if I do say so myself."

"Killing children? Hardly a victory worth bragging about," Moji said, boiling with rage. "That was . . . ." He shuddered.

"Yet it gives your world a bit more time, does it not?" Drop Dead replied. "You should be happy." He turned to look at Kodama. "We'll, except for the fact your friend is now dead."

"I have no plans on dying," Kodama calmly replied. "The chosen do not die."

"The chosen?" Drop Dead asked, puzzled, and more than a little annoyed with how calm the boy was.

"Fate may kill others, but the chosen don't die," came the vague, but confident reply.

"Is that why none of you die?" Drop Dead asked, looking around.

"No," Waku replied, still unable to get the picture of the small, cheerful girl out of his mind. He wanted to scream, to rage, to hit something, but what could he do? The boy slumped down in his seat, defeated.

"He's an okay guy," Moji added. "But he's crazy. Pay him no heed." He too shuddered, unable to think of anything but the now dead girl. And that they'd all played a part in killing her.

Ushiro was quiet, unable to think, to do anything but recall the girl's last moments. His stomach heaved, and he threw up on the floor, gasping as another wave of nausea hit him.

Machi just kept staring at where the screen had been. She knew in her mind that the price was worth it, that the other world had been doomed. Or, if not that one then this one. One of the two would have died. But in her heart she questioned the bargain she'd made. ' _We ask that you remember that deal when today has passed.'_ Was this what Mirror had meant? She looked around the room, seeing the grief, the all-consuming guilt, in the eyes of the others. _Is this what tears us apart? Not a loss in battle, but a victory we wish we'd lost?_ She too shuddered, wanting the day to just end.

Even Penny, having been on the losing end many times where she'd seen children die, was quiet for a while. Still, a part of her attention was on Kodama, wondering whether he would live or die.

* * *

Kodama shuddered violently and dropped to the ground, emitting a scream of terror. A black stain, looking to be made of the darkest ink, appeared on his skin, starting at the neck and running down across his shoulders to his back. While the boy thrashed with disturbing violence, the blemish grew, spreading slowly but unstoppably to his legs and arms. Then it circled the boy's body, covering the face, the stomach and chest, as well as the boy's legs. For a few agonizingly-long seconds he appeared to be a being of shadow. Then, pulsating and rippling, the shadow tore free of the body to stand and look around at the others who stared back in shock. Still pulsating, rippling in a way that caused several of those around it to drop to their knees and violently vomit, it's arms and legs split in two so that it had eight long, narrow limbs, while its lower body grew more bulbous. Finally it dropped to the ground, glaring around the room as a spider would. On its head there were now twelve inhuman eyes and jaws with long, sharp edges from which dripped venom composed of the same unblemished, disturbing blackness as its body.

"Why won't it disappear?" Drop Dead finally managed to shriek. "Why can't I send it away?" When the spider turned to stare at the disturbance he flew up to the ceiling. Moving faster than any human eye could follow, the spider raced around the room, scurrying up the wall and along the ceiling to stop near the shocked creature. Drop Dead ran, dashing around the room with the spider always in pursuit, always mocking his every effort to evade it.

The spider stopped, freezing into a motionless statue so suddenly that the frantic kids lost track of it, while Drop Dead kept running for a few seconds, unaware he was no longer pursued.

"What is that thing?" Drop Dead demanded. "Why can't I tell it to go away?" He was frantic and afraid. He could always flee the mech to someplace safe, but what if the thing, whatever it was, could follow him across even that. He shuddered, scared as he hadn't been for a long time.

The kids weren't stupid enough to reply. They'd seen how Drop Dead's shrieks had drawn its attention and they knew they couldn't run that fast. Eyes on the unknown creature, sweating profusely with a few of them desperately struggling not to wet themselves, they mimicked the dark, still pulsating spider, and stayed frozen where they were.

"Go away," Drop Dead whimpered.

The spider moved slowly, creeping over to stand above Kodama, the boy who'd somehow spawned it. Then, in a movement that left afterimages in the eyes of the watchers, it bit the unconscious boy, turned to gaze at them one more time, and ceased to be as it slowly faded from view. Strangely enough, when the spider had finally disappeared so did the bites mark on the boy's neck.

"What was that?" Maki demanded, sitting back down in her chair. "What the heck was that?" Somehow, somewhere during the last few minutes Komo had dashed to her side, and she only now realized they were holding hands. She tightened her grip on the girl's sweaty palm, eyes still frantically looking around the room, still seeking the . . . whatever it had been.

"Is it gone? Waku gasped, peering around the room. Somehow he'd ended up crouching beside Moji who now had the boy's shoulder in a steel grip of fear.

Anko clutched Kanji's hand, eyes frenetically scanning the room over and over. She desperately needed to pee, but even if MEarth did have a bathroom she wasn't going anywhere alone. The way she saw it, she might never go anywhere alone ever again, not even the bathroom regardless of whether it was a number one or a number two she needed to do.

Kako was out of his seat, though not standing beside anyone, with only Maki noting that he was directly between the body of Kodama and Chizu. He too needed to pee,

Daichi was crouched down beside Penny, face white while his arms were lifted to make a futile effort to fight off the now vanished spider. Penny was holding his left shoulder, face also white.

Machi had somehow made a run to Ushiro who was frozen stiff, face white. Eyes still searching the room, neither of them moved.

Kirie was hiding behind his chair, knowing he now had a new and really really good reason to go on a diet - to not become spider food. He just knew being twice the size of any of the others was going to draw its attention. He too was glancing around the room, not knowing what to do.

"That was new," Penny finally said, standing.

"Is he dead?" Drop Dead asked, not daring to go close enough to find out. It wasn't as if he could be sure when it came to these kids anyway.

"He lives." The softly spoken whisper came from behind Drop Dead who turned to see the spider hanging there in all its dark glory, all eight of its legs now encircling him. He took off, blind with panic, crashing into the far wall so hard he chipped whatever material he was made of. When he turned to look again the spider was gone. The voice had been low enough that none of kids had heard it, though Drop Dead's frantic race to safety had drawn their attention.

"Going to take more than paint to fix that," Nakama noted, voice faint.

Clenching her teeth, not quite stopping the pee that she hoped wasn't showing, Machi marched across the room to Kodama, knowing she was the true leader of the group and this was her job. She checked his pulse. "Strong and steady," she told the others. "He's alive. Though who knows whether he'll turn into a zombie and eat us all. Or maybe one of the spider people." She trembled and decided to stop joking.

Drop Dead hovered in the air, whirling around as he scanned for the spider again. He knew it was time to send the kids away, but he discovered he was too afraid. He didn't want to be left alone with just him and Penny.

Chizu alone had sat without trembling, not moving from her chair. It wasn't because she didn't want to but because her tortured limbs just weren't able to move fast. There was just too much pain. She'd blinked at the way the alien creature had appeared, studying it as it'd rippled and pulsated, wondering if it was going to kill her. _Do you truly want to die?,_ it'd asked her, speaking yet not speaking. _You're so young, yet so much pain. Share it, and it might not be the burden you think it to be. Even the gods do not try to stand alone; they know the impossibility of it._ Then its attention had left her, distracted by Drop Dead.

Wondering, the girl had watched the way it'd scurried around the room, always keeping pace with Drop Dead, always just inches from the creature no matter how fast or slow he flew in his desperate bid to escape. Vaguely she noted that it didn't cast a shadow of its own, rather it moved on the walls and ceiling as if it was the shadow. And it came to her that that was exactly what the spider was, a 3D shadow projected into the room. The image wasn't real, though there had to be something projecting it, and something that'd vibrated the air to make the voice she'd heard. Drop Dead's futile efforts to teleport it away confirmed her belief.

* * *

Kodama stood in the room feeling a bit disoriented. He had just been . . . where? He wasn't sure, which was something that bothered him, but regardless of that he knew where he was right now. Chizu's room, and the girl, naked, was resting on her bed, eyes closed. He looked at the time, seeing it was just after eleven pm, which was perfectly fine with him. It was around then that the main room usually emptied for a while, allowing him the chance to enter the girl's room unseen. He had maybe six hours before he would have to leave or be forced to stay the whole day in her room to keep these visits hidden. Much as he wanted to, drooling at the prospect, he'd never done that. You never knew what might come up and a call might come for a fight. While Drop Dead could transport them from anywhere, it would seem strange if he didn't go to the pre-fight meeting. Either way, he was here now as was the girl, and the fun times could begin.

"Hey, Chizu," the boy said, greeting the girl as if they were boyfriend and girlfriend. "Been a weird day, so haven't decided yet how your baby should die. Do you have any ideas?"

The girl's head moved, eyes opening to peer at him with fear. "It doesn't want to die," she replied. "I don't want to die either."

Kodama laughed, clutching at his belly while he was actually forced to sit down. "Chizu, don't be silly. I know that when the time comes you will thank me. I've seen it in your eyes. You do want the pain to end, right?" Moving he opened the drawer beneath the bed to pull out twenty-four of the long, sharp knitting needles. "Now, where do we start today? Let's see." Holding his still aching stomach the boy paused to think. "I know. Usually a few of these needles go up through your arms and legs to keep you from moving, but today we will forget about that. Instead we will see if we can find twenty-four places where we can drive the needles completely through your body that won't kill you. Now, that'll be fun, won't it?" Kodama smiled as he switched on Chizu's computer to study the detailed diagrams of the female human body he'd taken to studying.

"Why are you doing this?"

Puzzled, the boy faced the girl, studying her but not finding anything out of place. Even aside from the questions she'd never asked before, there was something different about her, but . . . . He shook his head, disregarding the thought. "As the chosen I'm obligated to. Without me you would die and nothing would be left. Since I'm immortal I'm making some part of you immortal as well. The more you suffer, the more you scream, the better I will remember you. In my memory you will never die."

"Lot of good that does me," Chizu replied. "When I'm dead I can't eat ice cream. And that sounds like a pretty bad way to go."

"What is ice cream compared to being remembered forever?" He was getting more and more puzzled by the girl's questions. It was definitely weird.

"I won't be around to know I'm being remembered. How can I enjoy that? Ice cream now, that I can enjoy in the moment anywhere, anytime."

"You will thank me?" He insisted, knowing it was the truth. He'd seen it in her eyes the night before.

"Is that your dream, your wish, to be immortal?"

"I am already chosen, as such I'm immortal. Can it be a wish to have something you already have?" He rolled one of the needles around between two fingers, turning back to study the diagram on the computer.

"And if you were not immortal, would immortality be your wish?"

"Of course. How could it not be?" The boy shook his head at such silliness.

"And during your so-called immortality you plan to torture and kill forever and forever, without end?"

"I'm obligated to," the boy explained. "It would be wrong of me not to at least try to save some of the people, would it not?"

"Even if they don't want to be saved?" Chizu wondered.

Kodama shrugged. "Their life is but a few passing moments. What I'm offering is immortality as a part of myself. Any sane person would take it."

"I see. You love hearing people scream as you torture them, don't you? You believe it is your right?"

"Of course. What else can they offer me? And as their God I am obligated to receive them." He shook his head again at the girl's silliness and turned to face her. "Now, Chizu, shall we begin? No more of those questions, just a few screams, please." He carefully positioned the needle and drove it slowly into the soft flesh of the girl who was now moaning in pain, eyes gloriously wide with it in supplication to him. He smiled, becoming aroused.

Kodama's own eyes went wide as an excruciating stabbing pain arose in his own chest, causing him to pause. It faded to become a rather bad ache, but not the agony of the needle he'd just felt. Confused, wondering what was going on, he tried to push the needle further into Chizu. Once again the sharp pain in his own chest returned. The boy stepped back to think it over, basking in the pain the girl now radiated as he did so. Idly, he reached out to give the needle a good twist, waving it back and forth as he did so.

In shock, grabbing frantically at his chest, Kodama fell to the ground where he led for several minutes until it'd faded back to a moderately bad ache. _I can feel her pain,_ the boy rejoiced. _I can feel the pain of those I've chosen to become a part of my immortality._ Standing, he touched the needle again. There came the agony of a needle being pushed into his flesh, but now it was matched by the joy of knowing just how much the girl was suffering. The two mixed together in him to become a potent and inebriating thrill that coursed unstoppably through him, causing him to become raptured long before he'd plan to, wasting his seed.

"Chizu, I love you," the boy murmured, eyes aglow with exhilaration as well as insanity. "I swear, I will remember you forever."

Violently the boy mounted the girl, twisting her around so that the needle caused her to scream and scream with a throat that was already badly damaged by the tortured girl's many previous screams. "I love you, Chizu," the boy screamed in reply. Within him he now felt the girls shame as well as the torment of the knitting needle. The humiliation she felt, the sorrow, the hopelessness, the all-consuming need to end it all; they became a part of him, mixing with the arousing joy of now intimately knowing her true pain, and became an emotional kaleidoscope that ripped through his body, his very soul, bringing forth a rapture he'd never dreamt was possible.

"I love you, Chizu," the boy said again, slumping down onto the floor in an exhausted heap. He'd known heaven and knew he was truly chosen. No longer did he have to measure their pain by screams or whimpers, but could, through his divine power, know to the smallest detail the agony that his subjects in their worship offered him. Eyes closed, smiling, the boy stretched out on the floor.

The girl on the bed, Chizu, turned to look down at the child. In her eyes there grew an unnatural and inhuman wrath that would've shaken the boy to his core if he'd seen it.

* * *

"Okay," Wakui said, looking around the main room of the apartment they all shared. "Anyone have even a clue what that thing was?"

"I know exactly what it was," Maki exclaimed. "Scary," she explained when everyone looked at her.

"Well, duh!" Komo muttered.

"It wasn't real," Chizu said, barely speaking above a low whisper.

"What?" Moji turned to face the girl. "It certainly looked real."

"It was just an image projected from somewhere. There never was a spider."

"But, . . . ." Moji shook his head, not able to prove or disprove what the girl claimed. At least not without using what little power he had for divinations. "Then where was it projected from?" he asked.

"No idea," Chizu replied in the same low voice. "I'm going to lie down." The girl headed for her room.

"You want to be alone right now?" Maki gasped. "I mean, even if you think it was an illusion, come on, I nearly wet my pants."

Chizu gave a small shrug and closed the door.

"She's . . . ." Anko shook her head.

Daichi stepped out of a storage room accompanied by Kanji. Daichi had wanted to use the 3D printer but had been unwilling to go into the room alone. "Here are a few treats," he told the group, placing a bowl of snacks on the main table.

"Thanks," Machi said, grabbing one. Looking at it she saw it looked sort of like a strawberry marshmallow bar. Shrugging she tore the wrapper off and bit it. Briefly, she wondered who she could get to go into her room with her so she could change, and maybe even wash. There was still the little problem of when she'd almost, but not quite, peed herself. _At least that's what I'm telling myself,_ she firmly decided. _Jeepers, that was scary._

"Wonder what it has to do with Mirror saying today might be a bad day?" Daichi mused, taking a treat himself.

Waku, taking a treat as well, pondered the question. "The way I see it we won the fight, so losing wasn't the problem," he said. "But fighting that little girl really hit us hard." The boy looked around the room. "I know it was that world versus this one, and this one is really nice, but . . . ." He sighed.

"Yeah," Ushiro said, feeling nauseous. He turned his eyes away from the treats, looking green. "If I'm ever the pilot in that situation then we're goners."

Waku nodded. "We'll keep that in mind."

"On the bright side," Maki said, chewing with her mouth open, "we know it's not getting discovered. We're all in the apartment and won't leave until tomorrow or the next day."

"And bad as moral is from the fight, I think we can handle it," Anko said. "Just so long as we don't have to do it again." She looked down at the treat she held, knowing that little girl would never get any treats ever again, let alone the blueberry cake she liked so much. "Maybe," she added, putting the treat back in the bowl.

Kodama came out his room, freshly dressed in a new uniform. For the hour that Drop Dead had held them prisoner, being too afraid to be alone, the boy had had a dream, though it wasn't one he could recall. Whatever it was, the others had told him it must've been pretty wild, and had pointed to the stains on his pants as proof. Seeing the bowl of treats he headed directly for them and grabbed one.

Machi edged away from the group, moving towards Chizu's door. Pulling anyone else away from the group would draw attention. Besides, with no one wanting to be alone she might end up with three or four girls going to her room with her. But Chizu was already alone and had proved she wasn't as scared as the rest. Besides, the girl was quiet and withdrawn, meaning she was less likely to tell anyone. Assuming, that was, if she would help her, or even answer the door. With small, furtive steps, keeping her back to the wall, Machi made her way to the girl's bedroom door. Eyeing the group, seeing they were deep in conversation, she turned around, ready to knock only to see the door wasn't fully closed. Giving a sigh a relief, she gently eased it further open to call out and sneak inside. When the door had opened about an inch, she saw Chizu's mirror, and the disfigured form of Chizu herself. She let out a startled yep, staring in shock as the girl turned towards her.

A deep silence fell in response to the shocked yelp, while Maki dashed across the room to pull the door fully open to see what was wrong. She too stared. not knowing what to do or say. Behind her everyone looked in the room, seeing the naked girl with the varied and copious wounds her body bore.

Trying to move quickly to shut the door, pain ripped through Chizu's body and she tripped, collapsing in an unconscious heap just a foot from the entrance. Machi moved quickly to grab a sheet from the bed to cover the poor girl, while Maki knelt beside her, briefly shielding her from the boys' view.

 _Chizu?_ Kako thought in dread, unable to accept the gruesome damage he'd seen wrecked on her body.

Damn, Kodama though, wondering how to avoid being pinpointed as the culprit. The others just wouldn't understand. They were oblivious to what it meant to be the chosen.

Minutes passed and Chizu regained consciousness but stubbornly remained quiet. She answered no questions, merely buried her head in the blanket.

"Moji?" Waku said, turning to face the guy. "Who did this?"

"Wait," Kodama said, immediately interrupting Moji. "Unless it's an emergency he can't use what he has left."

"Now's not the time to worry about that," Nakama shrieked at the guy. "This is an emergency."

Kako kept shaking his head, trembling in fear for Chizu's safety and in rage. Then his eyes met Maki's eyes, and the girl looked away. _She believes I did this? Why? Because I once tried to . . . ._ He backed up.

Waku's eyes blazed with rage as he stared at the trembling girl Maki held, wanting to strangle someone, if only he knew who. "Everyone line up," he commanded, brooking no disagreement. "You will walk past the doorway one at a time. While she might try to remain quiet, I bet the monster who did this will cause some response."

 _Damn,_ Kodama fumed, casually taking the position in front of Anko, making him second last in the line.

Waku walked past the girl first, evoking no response, followed by Daichi who also was met by nothing but indifference. Next came Komo, then Kirie, both of who were ignored. Anko and Kanji after being cleared emitted tiny sighs of relief. They knew they were innocent, but in such a situation what if the girl had twitched or done something. They all turned to look at Kako who was next in line. As the boy stepped closer Maki's eyes bore into the boy, accusing him of the atrocity. Sensing the intensity of her wrathful gaze everyone did the same, and twelve pairs of eyes bore into the scared and worried boy. The emotion showed on his face and, with the exception of Kodama, they all knew his guilt even before he walked past the girl.

Long knitting needles, essentially sharp metal rods, had been repeatedly forced up through Chizu's arms time and time again, wrecking untold damage inside of those arms. In addition they'd had the _holy instruments of torture_ driven through them hundreds of times from other angles. To say there were sensitive would a colossal understatement. Seething with rage as Kako approached, Maki, holding Chizu as gently as she could, still tightened her grip, evoking a gasp of pain from the girl, followed by a stomach-churning moan of heartrending torment.

"You," Kodama immediately yelled in pure outrage. "Monster."

"I know he tried to rape her, Maki added, needing to see the boy bleed, to suffer in any way that would bring Chizu justice.

"I, . . . ." Kako started, casting Maki a look of betrayal.

Daichi stepped forward to bring down his fury upon the one who'd so badly hurt one of his children. His foot rose to smash into the boy's groin, crushing one testicle and sending him to the floor. "Bastard," he screamed in rage, following it with another brutal kick to the stomach.

"It was him," Moji said firmly. "I checked."

Having been the focus of countless brutal beatings, Kako rolled to his feet, scrambling away from the group. The pain, bad as it was, he pushed to one side, resisting the urge to puke.

Waku, knowing he as the leader of the group had failed, having seen the state Chizu was in, also stepped forward, snapping a punch at the boy. It stuck the accursed boy in the stomach again, causing him to bend over where a knee met his nose.

Still Kako staggered away and stood. When Moji rushed him he stepped into the blow and struck back, hitting the boy in the throat, sending him gasping to the ground. "I didn't, . . . ."

Daichi stepped forward again. Tall and strong, used to hard work, he drove his fist at Kako who twisted to one side, letting it rake along his forearm. Knowing too many attacks from this guy would fulfill the desire of the mob to see him dead, he immediately twisted around Anko who'd been viciously snarling a short distance away, waiting for a chance of her own to kick his groin. He pushed her at the boy.

Kodama grinned, knowing if the boy died he couldn't plead his innocence, and Chizu herself wouldn't tell. So if sometime during the night Moji disappeared, or had an accident, . . . . His grin turned dark and evil. In the commotion he slipped out of the room, returning a few seconds later.

"Coward," Daichi roared. "Hitting girls." He fumed, gasping for breath in his rage, and marched forward.

Sensing someone behind him, Kako twisted around, crouching down as a fist passed above him, barely missing Kanji who upon seeing Anko being pushed had marched into battle. Kako stood again, grabbing and lifting Kanji's foot for all he was worth. The boy went crashing backwards, and though he knew the boy was merely acting on what he believed, Kako stepped forward to slam his own foot into the boy's stomach.

Frantically, knowing Daichi was still behind him, Kako dropped as a fist grazed his skull, and rolled out of the way, placing his back against the wall.

"Bastard," Daichi bellowed again, and he stepped forward for another punch. Barely Kako managed to step to one side, still taking a rather painful glancing blow to his ribs, and brought his knee up driven with all the force his abject terror could muster. Despite having been the first one to attack the groin area, Daichi's eyes registered surprise, and he dropped to his knees clutching the afflicted area. Kako, before the stronger, older, and tougher boy could recover twisted around him, and kicked the back of his knee for all he was worth, feeling revulsion at the brutal attack. Still, he then followed it with a snap kick at the boy's head, bruising his foot on the thick skull.

Kako swung around, knowing the others would be upon him at any second. He was surprised to see Kirie rolling on the floor with Moji, having tripped him and then become entangled as the boy fell. _Thank you,_ he silently told his friend. He moved rapid to his left, backing away as Kanji, Waku and Ushiro approached him. Briefly he saw Kirie take a savage blow to the face, falling back. Then his back was in the corner and gave a small, useless sigh of relief. That limited the number who could approach him to two, assuming they didn't block each other, but he was hurt and bleeding.

"Aw fucking it," he exclaimed, feeling a not completely unknown rage rise within him. He almost casually walked past Ushiro who'd been in the lead and snapped a kick at Waku who having expected Kako to make a stand in the corner, was taken by surprise. Another groin met another foot, and another boy went crashing to the ground. Before the others could recover, Kako pivoted around and threw a punch at Ushiro who, thought used to hitting little girls, wasn't used to fighting. It grazed the boy's ribs, only causing him to flinch. Kako twisted away, knowing Kanji would be behind him. _Move fast, bloody fast,_ he ordered, _or you'll be the one bloody. As usual._ Briefly he saw Moji was on his stomach with Kirie sitting on top, hands around the boy's throat. There was a small pool of blood running from Moji's nose.

"Damn it," Kanji cursed. "You're dead."

 _Sort of obvious,_ Kako thought, rapidly backing up. To his dismay he saw Kodama had decided to join the fight. Unsure of what to do, other than just fight, he blocked a punch by Ushiro and twisted away from a kick delivered by Kanji.

"He's got a knife," Kodama suddenly yelled, his voice booming throughout the room, and he rushed forward.

Startled by the shout, Kako still raised his arm to block what he first thought was a punch. The blade ripped the length of his forearm before making a long gash in his side. For a brief second he was in shock as the knife was withdrawn, then it slashed down again, piercing his chest to the hilt. Frantically, desperately driven by the rage that was keeping him going, he grabbed Kodama's wrist, holding it still for a second while he bent the boy's index finger back, savagely breaking it. The shocked boy, who'd expected Kako to die took a step back.

 _Fuck,_ Kodama silently raged. While his first strike had been for a vital spot, it'd been blocked. Then, in the excitement that he would get to kill, he'd struck instinctively. Only he'd spent almost a week doing nothing but stabbing Chizu countless times in nonvital spots. His instincts had betrayed him.

Kako, still in shock, looked at the knife, and then back up at Kodama. Unlike the boy who'd been in numerous fights, Kodama was slow to react as the incensed boy stepped forward for another kick. Kodama then understood what it was to have his groin kicked with unchecked force.

"Fucking coward," Ushiro snarled several feet away.

"Sure," Kako snarled back. "First I'm kicked in the groin, then you try to kill me, swarming me with numbers. Then an asshole brings in a knife. And I'm the freaking coward. Bastard." He raced at the boy, who quite sanely backed away, though not quite fast enough. Kako made a feint with the knife, aiming for the eyes, and while his opponent was distracted, kicked him with the only attack that seemed to work. Face white, Ushiro rolled away, half crawling.

Seeing the fight was going bad, Anko dashed in only to receive a well-paced foot in her stomach. She collapsed.

Machi came next, trembling and afraid, but determined. She preceded her attack by throwing a bowl of treats at the beast in front of her, and tried to get in a kick of her own. She was fast and she was agile, but she didn't have quite the same adrenaline rage as the boy she attacked. Her leg was kicked, causing a loud cracking sound. She went to the floor sobbing in agony.

Kodama stepped out of his room carrying a length of steel rod. What it was for he had no idea, but he'd considered using it to cause blunt trauma to Chizu. It was something he'd dismissed, but now it would come in handy. Seeing Komo standing well away from the fight, looking frantic, pleasure coursed through the boy. No one was looking their way and in the heat of battle who would know. He stepped up behind her and swung. The girl went crashing to the floor, blood rapidly spreading from her head. The boy's erection trembled in pleasure, nearly bringing the rapture upon him. He casually walked forward, now in no hurry to see the death of Kako. Maki, being in Chizu's room, couldn't see much of the main room. And while Kako had actually done a fair bit of damage, the gang was getting to their feet and regrouping, eyes focused on their hated enemy. It would give him the chance he needed.

Kirie was unsure of himself and wished Moji would just stop struggling. What was happening was insane with there having to be some mistake. He knew Kako could go into rages when pushed, but torture was not in his makeup. There were times when he was savage, but doing . . . that was not in his makeup. Then the world went dark.

Moji was thrashing for all he was worth when the weight on him finally disappeared, as did the hands around his throat. He was halfway to his feet when his skull suffered massive trauma. A second blow did more damage.

Kodama smiled, eyes briefly closing in bliss as he was raptured. Struggling to focus his thoughts he saw Ushiro was rising to his feet, preparing to fight again. Hurriedly, since the boy was just out of view of Chizu's room, he dashed forward to swing the steel rod. The impact caused a spray of blood that awed him, and he stopped to stare at the rod which was covered in the blood and skin of several people. He licked its length, savoring the taste. Knowing it spoke of his mastery over lesser beings.

"Stop, behind you," Kako roared, being the only one who had a clear view of Kodama. Of course no one believed him. Before him was Kanji, Waku, and of course the indestructible Daichi. Behind those were Anko and Nakama, both ready to rush in should an opportunity present itself. Unfortunately for them, they had Kodama bearing down on them. Behind Kodama himself were the, he hoped not corpses, of Komo, Kirie, Moji, and Ushiro. Desperately he held up the knife, waving it, keeping them at bay, knowing it was futile. The idiots that faced him would die from behind, not the front.

Kodama studied the situation, smiling. Food here was usually bars, or some other food that was ready to eat, filled with all the nutrition one required. Things like knives and forks weren't needed, so they'd never learned how to print them on the printer. And now they had no time. If they kept looking at Kako he could wipe them all out. Pleasure coursed through him as he studied. Nakama and Anko. They were both beside the door, within sight of those inside Chizu's room. But only partly so. He reached out and snagged Nakama, swinging her at the wall so she couldn't see him, and swung. Then, to the unaware Anko, he did the same. Things were going fine, and no one had seen him do the killing. With Moji gone there might suspicions, but nothing concrete.

As he saw Nakama, who he desperately hoped wasn't dead, fall to the floor it finally came to Kako. Kodama was the one who looked like he was enjoying this, and on that original day at the beach he'd been the one to torture that poor crab. And in both ZEarth and MEarth he'd taken glee in killing as many people as possible. Then there was the knife. He had to be the one who'd done all that to Chizu. Why the girl hadn't screamed for help he didn't know, but he did know when the boy was finished here he would have Chizu to himself again. Finally with a target who he despised enough to kill, knowing that Chizu would die screaming in agony if he failed, he faced the three boys in front of him. Sensing the change in his attitude the three took a step back.

Chizu despaired, knowing an agony worse than all that Kodama had visited upon her. These people were her friends, and now they died, betrayed by her own hand for she'd known the danger, but had been focused only on her own selfish need to suffer. She hadn't stopped to consider what the beast would do with the others. Now she not only knew, she saw it. But it was too late to warn them. The fall she'd taken had broken something inside, and she could barely speak, let alone move. Nor was there anyone near her. Maki had been but she was now gone. Something in her mind snapped and, for her friends' sake if not her own, she did the thing she should've done all those years ago.

Kako charged the three boys, making no attempt to show mercy. If it were their lives or Chizu's he had to choose between there could only be one answer, one response. He led with the knife and when Waku raised his hand to block it, he let the tip of the blade trace along his arm, making a deep, but nonfatal slash from wrist to shoulder. While the boy was jerking back, he turned to once again raise his knee in Daichi's groin. The attempt was blocked, but they were too close for the boy to punch or kick, and the knife was now the only weapon of value. He stabbed the boy in the leg, twisting as he did so. With the path clear, he tried to race forward only, to his shock, have Kanji tackle him from behind, one arm reached forward to hold the knife down.

Kodama watched the fight standing only several feet away. Should Kako prevail he would be ready, but for now it was fun to see the group fall apart, and finally die.

Wondering why Kanji couldn't see the danger, not knowing what else to do, driven by a beast-like fury, Kako clamped his teeth down on the arm that was invitingly close to his mouth, savagely tearing into the flesh. Knowing his own neck was close to the teeth of his enemy, he tore out a chunk of flesh and spat it away. Still, the arm continued to hold the knife down, so he bit it again. Then there was warm breath on his neck and he knew he'd failed. Without thinking, his fingers flicked the blade to his left, and his left hand came up, stabbing behind him. The warm breath faded, as did the tearing sensation that'd started to rip into his neck.

Rolling onto his back, vision bleary as blood loss and pain finally started to take affect, overriding the adrenaline that's saved him so far, Kako tried to stagger to his feet. Daichi, despite blood spurting like a fountain from his leg, reached out to grab him, and he stabbed the hand brutally, uncaring of the damage he did. When he saw Kanji rush him again, he waved the knife, then slipped on the blood. Taking the chance Kanji snapped a kick at the deadly blade, snapping Kako's wrist. Kako let the knife drop and grabbed it with his right hand again. He savagely thrust the knife at Kanji, tearing a gaping wound into the boy's side.

Slipping on the blood again, Kako tried to curse, but found he was too weak. Soon he would bleed to death. And to his unending vexation, Waku, sensing victory, was now in front of him. _Why am I the only one who can see Kodama standing there, watching, like a freaking clown with that grin on his face and that erection,_ he fumed.

Grinning at the defeated boy, looking to see Maki wasn't around, Kodama decided to take the kill for himself. He walked up to Waku and swung, dropping the boy like a rag doll. Then, just because he could, he swung at Kanji who was blind with blood in his eyes. Daichi he saw was lying motionless, probably having passed out from blood loss. Even unconscious the sturdy boy was frantically holding a hand that'd been sliced almost in two with one side of the hand being separated from the right almost up to the wrist. It was the sort of work Kodama could appreciate. Knowing there was now no one but Chizu and Kako to see, he bashed the boy on the head with glee, taking the time to make a second swing. _That's it. The group is dead, but I'm left, I'm the chosen._ He smiled the devil's grin, surveying his work.

"Time to die," Kodama said to Kako, watching the boy as he vainly struggled. "Chizu doesn't have much left in her, but I'm going to make her scream."

The beast-like rage gripped Kako's soul one last time and he rolled, knowing there was no point in trying to stand. He caught Kodama by surprise, bringing him to the floor, and as the startled boy started to twist and turn, trying to throw him off, he squirmed upward, dragging the knife as he did so, leaving a trail of blood along the boy's leg. Now blind with blood, confused and cold with the pain of his crushed testicle ripping into his brain, he made one last effort to bring the knife up to use it. It's edge dragged along Kodama's stomach. Dropping into unconsciousness, the blade slid to the hilt into the chosen one's belly.

Maki had left Chizu to search for a weapon. In the girl's drawer she'd found numerous knitting needles, undoubtedly those that'd been used to make those ghastly wounds on the poor girl's body. She'd grabbed at them, frantic to return to the battle and offer her friends a chance against that knife. She'd returned only to discover that she was too late. The floor was plastered with the blood of those friends, all of who were unnaturally still; she'd failed. But then she saw that the one who'd started it all was still alive. His breathing was shallow, while his skin was clammy, but he wasn't dead. Driven by her heart-rending sorrow, knowing Sakura wouldn't raise those who'd killed themselves, she raised the needles and brought all-twenty-four down on the boy's stomach, creating a gaping wound that she prayed was painful. The needles rose and fell six more times before she stopped. Then to her shock, the needles were smashed from her hand by a merciless boot that snapped all her fingers, sending her flying. As she struggled to stand, to turn to see what was going on, her arm was gripped by a hand of steel, and she lost consciousness.

Tall, with lightly-tanned skin, the well-built man stared, shocked and appalled by the carnage. Then, despite the distress, he moved rapidly amongst the bleeding flesh and shattered bones.

* * *

End of Chapter

By the way, the title for this chapter, _'A Thousand Cuts,'_ refers to the way Kodama destroyed the enemy mech, not the final battle scene. Though perhaps it might be more appropriate there.


	8. Weight of Water

_**Trigger Warning:**_ Talk of abuse, though it's portrayed as having happened in the past and isn't too specific.

Note: Though the wording doesn't always make it clear, in this chapter during much of the time aboard MEarth Chizu has Penny repeat her words.

 _Time: A few hours after previous chapter, same day._

* * *

 _ **Weight of Water**_

As if from a deep, dreamless sleep Maki's eyes flickered open. Puzzled by the pale-blue ceiling and the walls that were a mix of bright, cheerful colors it took her some time to recall the events that'd taken place. The memories were vague, as if from a dream, leaving her momentarily confused as to whether they were real or not. Then the ache, dim but steady, from her hand drew her attention and she looked to see it was in a clear, bandage-like wrap. _Huh,_ the girl thought, feeling confused. _Who did that?._ Finally she turned her head to glance around the room and saw a young woman sitting in a chair next to her bed. On the opposite side of the bed from the woman were two men, both large and both fully dressed in some strange clothes. That the clothes would be strange she understood, but it was the first time she'd seen anyone completely dressed on this world.

"She's awake," one of the men spoke, voice low and soft.

'"So I see," the woman replied, studying the girl for a few seconds. She held up two fingers. "How many?" she asked.

"Two. Where am I? Who are you?"

The woman closed all her fingers, then held out four. "Now?" she asked.

"Four."

"Any difficult seeing? Any strange noises, like a buzzing sound in your ears?"

"No."

"Good." The woman moved her chair a few feet away from the wall and turned it around so it was facing the girl before sitting down again. "Now, As for who we are, we're from the security staff of the city. At least they are." She nodded at the two men. "I'm more into medicine, but I've worked with them on the rare occasion." Her hazel eyes studied the girl in detail, looking curious. "Now that I've told you who we are, how about you tell us who you are?"

"I'm . . . ." Maki gulped, going quiet. To avoid the question she let her eyes roam over the room. It was around twenty-by-twenty feet and other than her bed and some equipment it was empty. "It feels like a dream, . . . ." She started, then froze, looking around again. "Where are my friends?" she asked, feeling panic rise in her chest. "It was real, wasn't it? He killed them." The girl stared at the woman in shock. "They're dead."

"It was quite the scene when we arrived," the woman admitted. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Where's Chizu? She was still alive?" Maki held the woman's eyes, demanding an answer. "He didn't get her."

"The one with all the puncture wounds?" the woman asked, eyes briefly flickering to the girl's broken fingers.

"Yes. He, . . . ." The girl shuddered. "She was in pretty bad shape but she was alive, so where is she?"

"She's alive," the woman said. "Considering we counted over two-thousand and six-hundred puncture wounds on her, not counting the ones where the same spot was used multiple times, she's in rather good condition." Her eyes flickered again to the girl's hand.

"Thank goodness." Maki gave a sigh of relief, then closed her eyes, knowing she had to ask the next question. "Can I see Komo?" she asked,

"Komo? We don't have records for any of you, but you did all have phones. By Komo I assume you mean the girl who had that name carved into her phone?"

"Yes," Maki replied. She wanted to add more, to express just who Komo had been, but in the end she didn't know what to say. Her friend was dead and all she could think was how much she wanted to see her, to hold her hand again. She wasn't sure what these people did with their dead, but she needed to see her one true friend at least one last time and say she was sorry.

The woman frowned. "What is your name?" she asked again. "Is it Maki, same as was carved in your phone?"

"Yes."

"I see." The woman's eyes again glanced towards the girl's hand. "Chizu isn't saying much," she explained, "but from what we can tell those punctures on her body were made by needles much like the ones you were using when we first got the call."

"Call? Who called you?"

"There was an emergency signal sent from Chizu's phone."

"Oh. I didn't realize she'd done that." Maki considered the news, deciding it didn't matter. It wasn't as if the group still existed anymore.

The woman gave a small sigh. "When we arrived you were trying to kill a boy with the same needles we believe were used on Chizu. Why is that?"

"To keep him from killing her, from killing us," Maki explained. "I had no choice."

"Why didn't you call for help?"

Maki froze, eyes flickering around the room in panic. While the group was gone there was still her baby brother. She could still pilot a mech and perhaps, just perhaps, earn the right to save him. She swallowed.

"I see," the woman said sadly.

Maki looked at the woman whose eyes were on her fingers, which she assumed were broken. _I had the needles when they came,_ the girl realized. _I was killing that bastard and they saw that._ Her mind connected the pieces. "You think I did that to her," she said, shocked, outraged.

"It's certainly a possibility," the woman replied, meeting her gaze.

* * *

Chizu quietly watched as the men and women worked around her, eyes following every detail. There'd been questions but what point was there in answering them? She'd failed to do the right thing once again, and now people had died because of it. For the most part they were kids who she'd only known a short time, but they'd thought her a friend and she'd failed their trust. Only she had known of the danger, and only she could've sounded the alarm, but she hadn't. Blind in her need to pay for her sins, she'd missed the obvious; Kodama wasn't there to punish her for those sins, but a monster preying on her because she was the weakest of the group. That he would move onto another girl, sating his malevolent need on an innocent, had been plain as day. Watching as a woman held a device over her arm, she sighed.

"Does it hurt, honey?" the woman asked. "I'm looking at the tissue damage done to the inside of your arms. It's quite extensive, but nothing that can't be fixed." She patted the girl comfortingly on the head. "Just rest, okay?"

"Whoever did this could be a heck of a surgeon," a man said, looking at a 3D display of Chizu where all the puncture wounds were illustrated. "He put those needles right through her in at least a dozen spots, not once hitting anything vital."

"Fetus is stable," another woman commented. "The amniotic sac was grazed a few times, but nothing that put it in danger. I would say the biggest risk factor to it now is the girl's stress. That has to be affecting it pretty badly."

Chizu gave that some consideration. The baby illustrated perfectly what a bad girl she was. Did she want to lose it or not? _Does it matter?_ she asked herself, and decided it didn't. In the end it was just one more victim.

"You should show the girl more consideration," a woman who'd been watching it all from a chair said.

"Such as?" another woman asked.

"She doesn't need to hear you talk like that."

"She's safe and sound," a man replied. "Our talking just gives her something to listen to, and it's a way to calm her. We're letting her know just how bad, or rather how not bad, things are."

Chizu blinked, wondering what would happen when she was called to MEarth again. Of the group only she and Maki were left, so would Mirror even bother keeping them alive? If she died it would be over, right? But she recalled the spider and how it'd asked her if she really wanted to die. Did she? She sighed again, regretting her decision to take Sakura's deal.

"Still not ready to talk?" the woman sitting in the chair asked.

Chizu eyes flickered towards the voice and then away. There was nothing to talk about.

"Can you talk?"

Chizu stared up at the ceiling, wishing she'd warned the group about Kodama, but that was not exactly a new wish. In fact it was quite an old one, being the oldest wish she could ever remember making.

"Her throat is pretty badly damaged," one of the doctors said. "We're still taking an inventory of all her injuries." The woman paused. "if she can talk at all it'll only be as a whisper."

"Oh." The woman in the chair leaned back, frowning. "We're not getting much from the others either."

Chizu's ears pricked up. _Others?_ But only Maki was left, so why did the woman use the plural there? Pondering the information, swallowing to try to loosen her throat muscles, she whispered, "Others?"

The woman immediately leaned forward. "So you can talk," she said, sounding relieved.

Chizu swallowed again. "Others?" she repeated. "But only Maki was left. What others?" She knew she had no right to judge, but Maki had killed Kako, so why bother talking to her. But if there were others . . . .

The woman pulled out her phone and scanned it. "While that was the most gruesome sight I've ever seen outside of a movie, you did send the emergency call less than five minutes after the first death. The first person to arrive on the scene was a man from the bottom apartment. That was within thirty seconds of your call. He immediately requested more ambulances to be sent in addition to the original five. Then he checked the bodies, deciding which ones needed the fastest attention. When the first five ambulances arrived, which was within five minutes of your call, they placed the most seriously injured on life support. The rest were placed on life support when the other ten ambulances arrived." The woman looked up from her phone. "All told, best we can tell is everyone was on life support within thirteen minutes of any injuries they received. While it's still too early to say for certain, there doesn't seem to be anything we can't fix. There is the problem that they don't have stem cells in storage, so we have to culture some to patch up all the damage, but that's just a matter of time."

 _Oh._ Chizu blinked away the tear she felt coming, recalling that this wasn't her Earth. These people had technology like something from a sci-fi movie. Ambulances here were either internal for the massive buildings, or external for getting to places like their small apartment building. The external ones went supersonic from the moment they left the airstrip. And they came equipped with two life support pods that could feed blood and oxygen directly to the brain, as well as administer drugs to keep swelling down. If need be they could even slow the brain's metabolism. "They were hit from behind, hard," she stated, needing to make certain.

The woman nodded, looking at her phone again. "Most of the people hit that way had their skulls fractured, but only two actually had trauma to the brain. We picked out the skull pieces and patched it. Damage was minimal, and even if we don't augment the healing the brain will simply rewire itself if need be." She glanced back up at Chizu. "They will be fine."

"Good." The girl sank back down in the bed, feeling some of the weight lift off her soul. She hadn't been too late, not this time. It'd been a last minute thing but no one would die. She recalled the spider again, 'E _ven the gods do not try to stand alone.'_ You swear they will be okay?" she asked, knowing on this Earth a person's word was an important oath. Few would break it.

"I swear," the woman replied without hesitation.

"You wanted to ask something?" Chizu said, recalling the way the woman had tried to quiz her when she'd first arrived.

"First question, how did you get those puncture wounds?"

"Kodama," Machi answered immediately. "He likes to see people suffer." She swallowed again to moisten her throat. "He likes to hear people scream."

"I see." The woman studied her phone again. "Maki claims it was another person. Who do we believe?"

"Kodama tried to place the blame on Kako," Chizu answered. "Most of the rest fell for it, and I was too weak to say otherwise."

Something of a look of relief filled the woman's face. "That would match what our labs say," she said. "We had three potential suspects based on the needles which have microscopic grooves built in them just for this sort of thing, We found all sorts of chemicals there from you; we can even tell which needle was used where and when by what chemicals they collected from your body, but only Maki and Kodama had touched them recently. When she claimed it was Kako we had to suspect her even though Kodama obviously used them more. He even has calluses on his hands from using them." She looked up again. "While we will be able to build a pretty complete picture eventually, it is nice to have details match."

The woman smiled at the girl. "Now for the second question. Just what were you kids doing all alone in that apartment?"

Chizu frowned, wondering how to answer. "I can't answer that question," she finally said, deciding on the truth.

The woman sighed.

"I take it you have pretty extensive lie detectors built into these beds," Chizu mused.

The woman blinked, and now she was the one who didn't know how to answer. "Maybe," she finally replied.

Chizu nodded. "We're strange to you. We're not in any of your records, and what you must see examining our bodies is that we haven't had all the medical attention we should have. You have a thousand questions."

The woman nodded. "So you understand then. Other than the injuries you recently received your bodies are in perfect health, though you have untreated conditions that confuse us."

 _Sakura,_ Chizu guessed. _Our technology is primitive compared to theirs but when she fixed us, she got rid of all our old injuries. Even the fillings in our teeth._ "Conditions?" she asked.

"Overactive thyroid," for example.

"Oh. If you could, please talk to the ones with conditions like that. We might not always be in a position to avail ourselves of such treatment."

"Why not?" The woman, blinked, puzzled.

Chizu tried to shrug, but abandoned the attempt. "Back to the original question of why we were alone there, I'm assuming you're scared that something big is going on and we might be the result of someone doing something illegal. Maybe snatching children for illegal purposes, or even doing genetic experiments." The look on the woman's face confirmed her guess. "I assure you, that's not the case."

"You just can't tell us the actual reason?"

Chizu smiled. "Right. And I'm betting you can't guess what's going on," she answered, amused. "But let's play a game. I'll let you ask ten questions I can answer with yes, or no, or I don't know. You won't get the real reason, but it will alleviate some of your worries. As far as I know there's no gang of crazed genetic engineers making mutant children who glow in the dark and want to take over the world. On the other hand, there might be mutated spider people running around soon trying to eat people's brains." She paused. "I would appreciate something to sooth my throat first though. Even a whisper is getting bad."

"Mutated spider people?" The woman gulped, not sure how to take that.

Chizu opened her mouth while a woman, presumably a doctor, sprayed her throat with something that tasted of lemons. "Thanks," she told the woman with a smile. Inside she felt good. She knew she was still a bad girl, but for once she hadn't failed. "it must have been a hallucination," she told the woman in the chair, "but all of us saw a spider-like shadow detach itself from Kodama. It scared the heck out of us all. Since we're kids, I know you might find it hard to believe."

"You really think you saw a spider?"

Chizu grinned. "Will that count towards the ten?"

"Um. No please," the woman found herself grinning back at the child. "You do know what such an event is supposed to mean though?"

Chizu gave her head a tiny shake. "No, I was going to research it, but things got bad before I could. What does it mean?"

The woman gave a small laugh. "I'm sure it was just a shared hallucination," she told the girl. "But in mythology, when someone angers Sakura she sends a servant called Mirror to judge them. In the stories, if they fail the judgment Mirror will take the form of a spider and enter their dreams. There she gives them one last chance."

"Oh." Chizu felt a shiver run down her spine.

* * *

Machi awoke feeling strange. Her leg, aching but not hurting, was wrapped in a clear bandage that was attached to a machine. Her head, which tingled more than it hurt, seemed stuffed full of cotton candy. Then there were her thoughts which were muddled, as if she'd woke up from a long and vivid nightmare. Around her there buzzed three people, each of them studying her in some way.

"How many?" a woman asked, holding up three fingers.

"Three minutes," the girl heard Mirror speak in her confused mind.

* * *

"Huh?" Drop Dead asked, looking around. All the crazy and insane pilots he'd had the misfortune to select for this world had just appeared, as expected, but few of them were moving, and they all looked like they'd been in a fight, a fight they'd lost big time. "What happened to you?" he asked, too shocked to gloat. These kids were all indestructible, so how could they be wounded?

"Spiders," Chizu whispered, knowing it would freak the guy out. She was right.

Pain wracking her body from where she'd fallen around three feet during the transport, Chizu slowly climbed to her feet. Bordering on collapse, she hobbled to the nearest chair before she eagerly looked around, seeking the faces of her friends. Most were unconscious, but . . . . Well, she couldn't say they looked good, and hopefully falling from the three-foot-high hospital beds used hadn't done more damage, but they were alive. Most were also in a state of undress that would normally have created a commotion. The rest were standing, or trying to, while Penny, face white, was staring in as much shock as Drop Dead had. Currently he was buzzing frantically around the room, desperately seeking spiders.

She closed her eyes for a few seconds. The fall she'd taken just several hours before had caused a cascade which had broke several things that had only been barely holding together. A few tendons that'd been hanging on had torn. A few ribs, previously only cracked, had snapped. A few nicked blood vessels had ruptured, causing serious damage. They included a thankfully very minor one that bled into her lungs. Bad but not fatal, assuming she got back to the hospital in time.

"Bastard," a voice muttered lowly, interrupting the girl's thoughts.

Chizu glanced towards the voice and gasped in total shock. "Stop," she told Maki who was standing above Kako. Her voice wasn't loud, but it did carry to the girl.

"Bastard," Maki raged again before looking over at Chizu. "Why? He's a monster," she stated in no uncertain terms. With her foot she nudged the unmoving form of Kako. Of all of them, he was the most injured with twenty-four needles having been plunged randomly into his chest and stomach seven times.

"He's not the one who hurt me," Chizu told the girl, seeing the bandages over the boy's terrible wounds turn red where he'd been nudged.

"Who else could it be?" Kodama asked, standing with just a bandage on his stomach and some clear trim-like substance trailing down from his waist to his foot. "Moji doesn't get it wrong." He glanced over at the seer, noting with some relief that the boy was unconscious.

"You," Chizu said, not able to put all the rage she wanted to into the reply.

"Me?" Kodama asked in shock. He shook his head as if in a daze. "Is that what he told you to say? You don't have to lie anymore, Chizu," he told her comfortingly. "He won't hurt you ever again. We will make sure of it." He turned to hobble towards Maki and Kako.

"Stop," Chizu tried to command. The word came out as a cough.

"Stop it," Maki told the girl, glaring angrily. "I don't care what you say. I saw the way you responded to him. I know he tried to rape you. Moji said it was him. He had a knife. He hurt my friends. She pointed to Komo, hand trembling. I'm going to make the bastard suffer and I don't care what you say. Who are you anyway but the idiot girl who always stays cooped up in her room? The one who's so dumb she got pregnant at twelve. How much have you helped us? What have you done for us?" She stopped her rant, out of breath. "He might have killed my baby brother as well," she stated, tears running down her eyes. "He won't escape what little justice I can get out of him, the bloody bastard."

Chizu frown, knowing only that the girl had a very limited vocabulary when it came to cursing, and that she wouldn't stop. She would kill Kako. Heart racing too fast, dread in her stomach, Chizu looked around the room, seeing Daichi was also getting up. She tried to speak, but saw the wrathful way he too was marching on Kako. Fury at their stupidity driving her, the girl stood and walked over to the pilot's chair in the middle of the room and sat down. The effort made her dizzy, and despite the dire situation she needed a few seconds to reorient herself. Looking around she saw Penny staring, clearly disquieted by the carnage. She knocked on her chair, not able to speak loud enough to draw the girl's attention.

"What happened?" Penny asked, knowing her time with these insane kids was near an end. Tears filled her eyes, and she would have begged Drop Dead to allow Daichi to stay, but she knew it wouldn't be allowed. It would make her too happy.

"I can't speak very loud," Chizu started, "so I need you to speak for me. I need you to be the Queen to my King."

Penny nodded. "Okay," she answered immediately, getting the gist of the request.

"Command them to stop," Chizu told her. "Put all you can into your voice. This is important. If you fail Daichi and all of us will die. Including a very nice world filled with very nice people."

"You mean there's still a chance?" Penny glanced towards the enemy mech. It was different and it was clearly powerful. She gulped. There was no hope.

"Yes. A good one if we can get this under control." She slowly raised her hand to touch the girl's. "I know how to destroy that mech. It's easy. But I will only do so if Kako lives." She stared the girl in the eye, forcing her tortured body to sit straight. Her hand rose to cover her stomach as it had of late, while her gaze became penetrating and confident. The wretched and tortured girl stood astride her throne as if a true king.

Penny nodded and looked up. "Stop," she bellowed, shouting louder than she ever had before. If it was the only way to save Daichi she would yell until her lungs collapsed and her throat ran red with blood. She'd tasted hope and she'd learned how to fight for it. Her voice shattered the distant murmur of voices that'd surround the unmoving boy, causing the three standing there to stare at her in disbelief.

"You ask who I am, Maki," Chizu said and Penny echoed. "I am the one who now sits in the pilot chair of this accursed machine. and I promise you this, if Kako dies so do we all."

"How?" Maki demanded, smirking. "We don't even have hands, let alone weapons. All we can do is roll around."

Chizu stared at the girl for a few seconds, forcing her opponent to blink and turn away. "Perhaps you've forgotten this is a battlefield we're on," Penny echoed confidently for Chizu. "I'm sure suicide would be more than easy." Chizu raised her hand to haughtily point at the screen. "Not to mention the dishonor you do to our hosts." She gave a small nod to the group who now watched her from the other mech.

Maki turned to look and gasped. "But . . . ."

"I assume that's a level fifteen mech," Penny echoed, somehow making the words sound disdainful, though there was nothing in the tone itself to imply it. '"Now, however could a level one mech hope to beat that." It didn't quite come out as a snort.

"But . . . ." Maki shook her head. "So we're all dead anyway."

"Pathetic." Penny echoed, causing the girl to cringe. "Is there any difference to a level one facing a level fifteen than there is to a level one facing a level ten. The odds are exactly the same, zero." Chizu shook her head, clearly disgusted with the girl. "The level ten is dead, we're still here. What does that tell you?"

"That we can beat it?" Maki cringed saying the words, not understanding the change that'd come over the usually quiet and reclusive girl. She now felt tiny in comparison. "But what does that have to do with Kako?" she dared to ask, sounding like a peasant asking a boon of a king.

"I told you. he's not the one who did this to me." Chizu let the sheet that'd followed her from the hospital drop, showing her body with its countless wounds to the girl. From the enemy mech there came a series of gasps.

"Moji is never wrong," Maki said, wanting to bow her head in obedience.

"Only a fool believes they're always right," Penny echoed as Chizu countered the girl's remark.

"I demand justice."

Chizu stared at the girl who'd turned to kick the boy again. "I imagine I only have to move forward less than a kilometer to enter that minefield," Penny echoed, sounding casual.

"Give or take a few meters," a man from the enemy mech answered, eyeing the girl with interest. "We've fought two level ten mech," he told the girl, "but none of them realized that was a minefield." He shook his head in disgust. "Yet a kid from a world without weapons notices it immediately."

"Standard one-megaton shaped charges," Chizu mused as Penny spoke for her. She let her eyes briefly meet those of the man, giving him a smile.

"You would die too," Maki countered, gulping.

Chizu tilted her head, still looking at the man. "I would imagine a world like yours understands the uselessness of a threat that isn't fulfilled." Penny echoed the words.

"Indeed. A threat not backed up is useless. Within our society one who uses such words without following through is branded an animal and hunted."

"Interesting. And what does one do on your world when insufficient gratitude is shown?"

"Even here, we do not talk of such things with children." The man smiled. "But in short, the screams of such is often used as the background music in games."

Chizu nodded. "Twice in the last half day I've saved the life of this one's friend, Komo, not to mention the lives of eleven of the others. It's only because I did so that she still has a chance to save her brother. Now she wishes to harm one I've chosen to protect and I'm powerless to stop her. Would suicide upon the field of battle be honorable as a way to avenge my honor?" She tilted her head. "So long as she dies with me that is?"

The man listened to the words as Penny echoed them. "It would," he agreed. "To fail in such a threat would demand you be branded and hunted. Death on the battlefield is much more honorable." He laughed. "Not to mention a heck of a lot less painful."

"But." Maki looked around, feeling uncomfortable. "Why would you protect him? And how did you save us twice?"

Chizu stared at Kodama. "I will decide when the one who harmed me will pay, and I will decide the manner in which he pays." Penny spoke the words, while Chizu's eyes bore into Kodama's, causing him to take a step back.

The boy stared at the girl he'd tormented for days, having never seen her resist even once. Now it was all he could do to keep from kneeling. She was a child, yet she stood above him as if she were a King and Penny her Queen. He gulped, confused and weak-kneed. He'd seen the wish to die in her eyes but now those eyes radiated confidence and power. There was little of mercy in them, and even less of weakness.

Chizu turned her eyes to Maki who immediately looked down. "In the carnage of this morning they would have died if not for me," she stated, allowing Penny time to echo the words. "Their wounds would have been fatal if I had not also warned the hospital staff to prepare them so that they could be moved."

"Oh." Maki took a step away from Kako. "But I know it was him," she insisted. "You cringed, and Moji said so."

Chizu shook her head, as if she were a king weary of the babbling of peasants. "My arms are destroyed inside," she replied as if stating the obvious. "Sixty-three percent of the tissue there has been turned to mush. When you tightened your grip on my arm, what did you expect to happen?"

"Oh." Maki shook her head, casting a look across the room towards Moji.

"What question do you think he asked in the heat of the moment?" Chizu asked, sighing. Her tone turned the words into, 'Do I have to do all your thinking for you?'

Maki cringed. "Did he hurt you?" It was all she could think with those eyes staring into her very soul.

"And what would the answer to that be?"

"Well?" She wanted to kick at the floor like a child.

"We've, let us say, spared in the past, as you know." Chizu tilted her head. "So what do you think the answer would be?" She didn't wait for a reply, her posture saying to the world that she didn't believe the child before her had the wit to figure it out. "Obviously yes regardless of these wounds."

Maki gasped, eyes going wide as she turned towards Kako, then glanced at Kodama.

Chizu looked at the screen, nodding her head towards the man she'd spoken with before. "My apologies that our house is not in order and my thanks for your patience." Penny echoed the words once again.

The man nodded in reply. "It costs us nothing to wait," he answered. "And in truth you puzzle as well as amuse us. While your appearance at first was similar to those we raise to hunt, you are now obviously not such an inferior." He paused. "A queen, just one who is down on her luck."

"Thank you," Chizu smiled. "Perhaps an exchange of information would be possible when things are settled here?"

The man frowned. "We will do nothing that puts our worlds at risk," he stated, voice firm, eyes narrowing.

"Nor we," Chizu replied. "We do hold our world as precious. But one of us will survive this battle, one will lose. We have battled one level ten mech. If it pleases you we can exchange information on it in return for some boon." She shrugged. "As my house is in disarray I am not yet certain what we would ask in return."

"I see. If it is of a kind we have not seen before it would be of help should we encounter it." He nodded. "We will wait."

"Thank you." Chizu waved her hand idly at Drop Dead. "This weird looking thing came with the job," she explained. "We call him Snotball. While he can't tell you the details of any battles he can tell you what we have fought."

"Snotball?" The people of the enemy mech looked puzzled while a similar creature immediately flew above their heads.

"My name is Drop Dead."

"Spider," Chizu whispered, and Penny eerily echoed the word.

Drop Dead dashed around, looking frantic. It also looked like he'd fled from Chizu's upraised hand.

"He has some very pretentious ideas of grandeur," Chizu explained. "You can call him Snotball." She eyed the ceramic looking creature, knowing he was the key to getting these people to actually treat them as equals. Obviously on the enemy mech their overlord, or whatever one called them, had things under control. That here he was merely an amusing pet gave them status. It raised them to an undetermined rank that caused puzzlement. She nodded her head at the man again and turned her attention back to her own group of misfits.

"Are you now willing to listen to reason?" she asked.

Maki, as well as Daichi and Machi, nodded. Kodama looked like a sulky and very furious child.

"Do you accept that Moji might have made a mistake?" she asked.

The three nodded again, still not meeting her gaze.

"Maki," Chizu started, causing the girl to jump. "You were the last one standing, right? Other than me and I was too weak to move. Who held which weapons?"

"Kako a knife. Kodama a rod or something."

"Penny, count the number of people who look like they were struck by a blunt instrument."

"Ten," came the reply a minute later.

Chizu nodded. "Why is it ten of you almost died by Kodama's hand when you believed Kako was the enemy?" She paused with her eyes telling the group not to speak. "Why would he have struck Kirie who was fighting alongside him? Why is it Kako got the first two serious cuts if he was the one who brought the knife and still had it at the end? Who charged Kako yelling about a knife just before Kako got those cuts? Why is it Kodama who has calluses on his hands from those needles, and not Kako?" She allowed the group to speak.

"I . . . ." Maki shook her head, edging away from Kodama. Daichi and Machi did likewise.

"Look at him," Chizu ordered, nodding at Kako.

They turned to see the bandages he had on were no longer quite transparent, no longer sealing the wounds and keeping the blood inside.

"My left lung is punctured," Chizu started, just bending the truth a little. "My heart has been damaged, as have my kidneys, spleen, liver, and . . . . Do I need go on?"

The group shook their heads.

"As such, I have little strength left to deal with unruly kids. I hope you understand."

"I can pilot," Daichi offered. "You can rest."

"Really?" Chizu asked, staring at the boy as if he had two heads and a tail. "Can I trust you to suicide if Kako dies?"

"You're not still going to do that?" Maki asked, eyes going wide. "I was wrong. You would kill us all?" The frantic girl looked towards the unmoving form of Komo and swallowed.

"It was the threat you forced me to make," Chizu pointed out. "I will keep it. As such I have to remain the pilot."

"But . . . ." Daichi shook his head.

"I suggest you take good care of him, not to mention keep Kodama away from him as well. Until we're back home, Kako's life is also your life."

The three gulped.

* * *

"Besides," Chizu said, sounding a bit more lighthearted. "Do any of you have an idea how to beat that?" She pointed to the screen.

"Do we really have a chance?" Machi asked. "She didn't see how that was possible."

Chizu nodded. "The two biggest dangers are my dying, or Kako dying." She shrugged. "We'll see what happens."

Before them the mech of the enemy stood tall and proud. On its massive, humanoid frame, which stood at around eight-hundred meters, there were several weapons. On its right shoulder, running down the length of its outstretched arm there was a massive cannon that was at least three-hundred-meters in length. Chizu guessed it would fire charges with a blast power of at least a megaton or two. That would remain to be seen. Still, while it was clearly powerful, it would also be slow to aim as well as slow to recharge. Or so she hoped. On the left there were four smaller cannons circling the forearm. They were around a hundred-and-fifty meters in length. Faster to aim, and probably faster to reload, they alone would be powerful enough to cut down any mech they'd yet faced. Even the level ten. The legs of the great beast were colossal, needing to be to carry the weight above them. Not only were they heavily armored, they bored spikes that would bode ill for any who tried to face the mech in hand-to-hand combat. MEarth would fair pretty poorly if those were to get within range. They would strip the level one mech of its fragile, wire covering in minutes, or perhaps just seconds. Chizu was also sure its right eye was a laser.

The girl sighed, noting the way the enemy had watched her while she studied their mech. "At least it doesn't carry five-hundred-megaton missiles," she mused with Penny speaking for her. "Does it?"

The man she'd been speaking to laughed. "Still believe you can beat us?" he asked, eyes lit with amusement.

"Actually, it's not the weapons you carry that worry me so much as the ones I'm sure your military has ready to use. I would assume that in addition to that minefield there are jets with nuclear bombs or missiles, nuclear artillery, submarine based cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. What am I missing?"

"True. We do have all those ready. They have been ordered to strike when we move." The man tilted his head, thinking. "The level ten mech you faced is identical to one of those we faced." He paused. "To be honest, while our minefield did heavily damage it, it didn't die. Every cockpit on it should have been destroyed, yet it marched on." He frowned, looking serious as his eyes peered into the past. "As powerful as we are . . . ." He shrugged.

Chizu nodded. "They carry three of those five-hundred-megaton missiles. Even the armor your mech has would not fair well against that." She tilted her head thinking. "I'm assuming it tried to put distance between you and itself so it could safely use those missiles, but ran afoul of your minefield. Then your military forces would have attacked. It didn't have a chance, but if you were to be summon to another world where those did not exist, . . . ." She smiled.

The man nodded. "Precisely. We had the homefield advantage. We're not sure how well we would have faired on their turf." He peered at her. "For someone from a world of peace, or a world of fools as we call it, you seem to think fast and know tactics fairly well."

She shrugged. "While we do not engage in war that doesn't mean we don't play games where it's a factor."

"Ah. I see. What would you wish in exchange for knowledge on why that mech didn't die when we reduced it to near ruin. It was impossible for any cockpit to have survived. Assuming you know the reason."

"We do," Chizu replied. "Do we not, Snotball?"

The creature turned to stare at her. I would prefer you call me by my proper name.

"I do. It's Snotball." Chizu smirked at it, walking her hand down the armrest of the chair as if it were a spider. "Do you want to see it again?" she asked in a whisper.

"I . . . ." He turned back towards the screen. "Yes, they do know how the mech survived such damage," he stated, then sank out of sight of the screen.

"In exchange for?" the man queried.

Chizu pretended to think, staring at the screen that showed the battlefield outside. "Tell me, do you think we're any danger to you?"

"Honestly, no," he admitted.

"Then in your eyes almost any trade would make sense. You believe you can destroy us no matter what advantage we're given, while you know if such a mech gets lucky it can kill you." When the man nodded, she pointed. "Disarm the minefield so we're free to maneuver," she told him. "Give us five minutes with no attacks upon us."

The man frowned, shaking his head. "We can destroy you at will, or so we believe, but your record of battle shows you have tricks up your sleeve. Much as we wish that knowledge, we can't risk it."

"I see," Chizu mused. "How about this then? You disarm the field and stay still for two minutes. The rest of your forces are free to keep us contained or destroy us. Even if we perish, he can tell you the details to complete the bargain." She nodded at the creature that floated above the enemy's head.

"Will you?" The man looked up.

"I will. While the rules forbid me to supply information on other mechs it doesn't forbid me from acting in this manner."

Chizu watched while the man consulted his crew. All of them, with the exception of one old man whose hair was white with age, agreed.

"We agree." the man echoed the verdict they'd reached.

Chizu hid her sigh of relief. "Other than her or Kako dying, the biggest threat had been that field. "Thank you," she said, bowing her head a little.

"We shall set a counter," the man explained. "It will start counting down the second you move. When it hits zero the field will be rearmed and we will give chase in this mech." He looked at her. "Of course the rest of our forces will fire the second you move."

"As agreed." Chizu replied. She stared at the landscape outside of MEarth, taking note of the mountain ranges. "This area is called Japan on our Earth," she told the man. "Though I guess you don't call it that." She looked around. "Just how many nuclear wars have you fought?"

The man shrugged. "Who knows. Four with the current rise of the Great Powers. We know several were fought by the old Great Powers around five-hundred years ago. There were Great Powers before those, but how many we don't know."

Chizu gulped. "I see." She gave the man a smile. "I guess it's time to see if this bucket of bolts has one more battle left in her. Thank you for the hospitality."

"We thank you. It was, to our surprise, interesting to talk with someone from a world of fools."

The girl gave a small laugh. "And to my surprise it was interesting talking with you."

* * *

At her command MEarth turned, rolling rapidly towards the minefield. In her mind Chizu counted every second until it was rearmed. For several of those precious seconds she drove as fast as she could, then she threw the machine into a spin, kicking up dirt and rock as a smokescreen. The world around her erupted into bright, violent flashes as nuclear missiles and bombs by the dozens sought her out. Then the Earth shook. If the minefield had been armed the girl knew they would all be dead by now. Then she was racing forward again, heading slightly more directly to the east. Five seconds later she spun MEarth, once more creating a smokescreen. It was a ride of terror as she counted seconds and the loss of wires that held the machine together. The end of the minefield came, though her white-fisted grip on the armrest gave no sigh of abatting. She had a destination in mind and it was still far away.

"You're running," she vaguely heard the enemy pilot speak, sounding as if he was disappointed.

"I would rather call it a strategic redeployment of forces to a more defensible battlefield," she replied, eyes not wavering from the hellish landscape outside that was lit up as if a dozen suns had come to Earth to visit. She thrust MEarth forward again, still heading East as she drove over pools of molten sand and glass, pushing her way through hurricanes of nuclear-tainted wind that whiplashed around them as shockwaves twisted the super-hot air into violent contortions. She spun again, changing her direction to be slightly more to the south, leaving the enemy to guess from which direction of the smokescreen MEarth would emerge. Seeing the mushroom cloud of a missile, or bomb, that'd fallen far short of its mark, she aimed for it, using it to briefly cover them. It wasn't a tactic she could use too often least the enemy notice it and trap her within a focused field of fire that would turn MEarth to wreckage. Not blinking, attention focused like a laser on the chaotic battlefield, Chizu drove through hell, seeking the shelter she hoped would lie just a hundred kilometers to the East. Whether or not they would make it to that shelter she didn't know. Nor did she know if the enemy would be prepared for them.

"There is no place to hide. We have the forces of several Great Powers here." The man sounded half amused, half worried.

Chizu didn't hear him. A missile struck just a kilometer in front of MEarth and she had to decide whether to swerve or drive through. She chose to drive through, sending molten glass flying as she did so. At six points around her the sun rose, shining a hundred time as brilliant as it should. When it faded the Earth smacked them hard enough that they actually left the ground for a few brief seconds before they came crashing down, still rolling, still alive. At its pilot's unswerving command MEarth clawed its way through more of the fiendish, hell-forged wind. Once again having created a smokescreen, the desperate yet steadfast girl repeated the same actions over and over. Each time she drew closer to her goal, and each time MEarth lost more of the wire that allowed it to keep its shape.

Chizu drove the half-wrecked mech unrelentingly through a nuclear hell that nothing could have survived, then she reached her first goal, sending a great spray of super-heated mist kilometers into the air as MEarth raced out over the sea, leaving behind it Honshu Island. Still trying to keep to the East as much as possible, MEarth rolled on, turning so fast it skimmed the water like a superpowered speed boat.

"You're not worried that we seeded the ocean with mines as well?" the man asked, peering at Chizu.

"The island was the focus of your defenses," she replied, knowing they weren't safe yet. In front of her, as if by the command of some dark god, the water parted with a massive flash of light hurling the ocean towards MEarth. In a desperate, and more than insane effort to survive, Chizu forced the mech to turn faster, running it up over the wave where it then dropped more than two-hundred meters. As the on the land she spun MEarth creating a smokescreen, noting with just the tiniest hint of relief that here it was much more effective. And as more nuclear blasts ripped through the sea that too added to the smoke screen as unknown amounts of water were turned to super-heated vapor. Then the winds rose, spreading out from the dozens and then hundreds of points of total annihilation, carrying with it the concealing mist. As MEarth was invisible to radar, and hopefully sonar, it denied the enemy a direct line of sight, forcing them to guess where the vessel and its crazed captain fled in their desperate bid for a safe haven.

"The island was the focus of your defenses," Chizu repeated."Mining the ocean with nuclear mines would be too big of a risk with ships from several nations roaming it, supplying that defense. Not to mention the warships that are a part of it." She gave tiny sigh of relief as they reached a deeper part of the ocean, still heading toward her final destination, and the girl allowed MEarth to,slow down, to sink beneath the waves.

The man nodded. "True. It's not that we didn't expect someone to make a try for the ocean, it's just that we never expected anyone to make it." He paused. "That machine is very fast. At points you broke the sound barrier. I can hear at least two-dozen ship captains cursing you." He shrugged. "Not to mention cursing me as well for agreeing to that bargain. Did you know we used more than six thousand nuclear warheads during that little run of yours." He shook his head. "And some people thought we should cut down on the number we possess. That if we did so we might last longer than the old Great Powers." He laughed.

Chizu nodded at the man as the turmoil of battle faded. "I thought it was more like a thousand, but I guess most struck well off course. For that I am most grateful." She paused to think for a few moments. "I take it the growing season on your world will be short for a while."

"Many will starve, but such is the fortune luck brings them. The strong will survive and from them will come stronger sons and daughters." He peered at Chizu. "But your mech still has no weapons. How do you hope to defeat us? Surely you are not trying to turn this into a game of endurance. In that we far outclass you as well."

Chizu open her mouth to speak, to whisper and allow Penny to echo her words. There came only a violent bout of coughing and with it bright-red blood that coated her hands, splattering the floor in front of her. "In a match of endurance I agree you do have the advantage," she finally managed to weakly whisper. "But as you said, we have no weapons so come hunt us." She smiled at him with blood running down from her mouth, coating her throat and uncovered breasts in a gruesome display. "I dare you," she stated, giving him a smile with the mocking tone. From a brutally battered and half-dead child it should have sounded funny. It didn't.

Chizu finally relaxed as MEarth dropped to two kilometers below sea level. After the minefield on the battlefield, the greatest threat had come from the many thousands of nuclear missiles these people had. Doubting that any of the enemy subs could operate at this depth, she hoped that here, in part, they were safe from that. Shivering violently, almost blanking out, the girl turned to survey the cockpit of MEarth. What she saw turned her white. While the cockpits of these mechs were well protected from things like vibrations and acceleration, it wasn't absolute. Pounded from every side by nuclear missiles she'd had to hold on for dear life. Those who were unconscious couldn't do that and they'd rolled and bounced around the room. While she saw little in the way of blood she knew there were many more injuries. Machi and Maki, she noted, were trying to keep Kako safe from any more of the violent turbelence. Despite that, the boy's bandages were filled with the red of his blood and Chizu cringed, wanting to weep. Tightening her grip on the armrest she forced the desire to one side, renewing her facade of being a King.

"Penny?" she said.

'Yes?" the girl replied, still standing beside the blood-crusted pilot, eyeing her fearfully, or perhaps just in shock.

"Would you please pick up the sheet for me?" Chizu nodded to the sheet she'd had on her at the hospital. "Tie me to the chair, please. I do need to rest and if I fall the chair who knows what will happen."

Penny hurried to obey.

"You are faster," the man admitted. "If we give chase will you just run? What use is there in that?"

"Tell me," Chizu asked, "in his inane muttering did Snotball tell you what happens to us when a battle ends?"

"No." He looked towards the creature, requesting an answer with a raised eyebrow.

"They don't die," Snotball stated pointedly. "They mock me and the game by standing and joking. Then they just walk away."

Chizu studied the shock that washed over the enemy cockpit, smiling pleasantly, though not arrogantly, as if she were a benevolent king and the people before her mere peasants.

The man sat with his eyes closed. "I see," he said, frowning while deep in thought. "We can't afford to wait. We have to play the game your way and give chase." He sighed, peering at the girl who stood one step away from death. "While I still do not see how you can destroy us, I do believe you can. It is a world of fools that puts us to the test." He shook his head again with a small laugh. "The irony."

"I have a battlefield in mind," Chizu said. '"It's not too far. We will wait there."

The man nodded again and turned back to his comrades. "I am sorry," he told them. "I though to gain an advantage for a later fight, but I may have cost us this one."

Chizu turned away. "Penny," she said. "Please check those who are unconscious to see if they're okay. Cover them if they have a sheet and make sure the position they're in isn't too uncomfortable. Idly she noted that Moji and Waku had ended up pretty close together in what looked to be a sixty-nine position. She was sure they didn't want anyone to see that. Almost she wished for a camera, but knowing what such humiliation was like it was a brief and quickly forgotten wish.

"Done," Penny reported ten minutes later. "They all got a slow but steady pulse. When will they wake up?"

"Not soon I think." Chizu replied. "I would imagine they were given drugs at the hospital to keep them from moving around. Most of them will also be dreaming. During traumatic events there're drugs that can make the last few hours seem like a dream. The brain registers it as such and that helps to prevent things like mental trauma." She'd talked with the woman at the hospital a lot and had played ten questions with her three times.

"Oh," Penny smiled. "We do have a chance?"

"We do. A good one." Chizu looked at the girl. "I might need you to talk for me again later, but for now why not sit beside Daichi."

Penny blushed, then did as the girl suggested. He was sitting beside Kako with a frown on his face, so she placed her hand on his and rested her head on his shoulder.

Chizu sat with her eyes half closed, blinking often to keep them open. MEarth was now standing on its end, spinning like a propeller, sending the mech cruising through the water still two kilometers below the surface. The enemy was giving chase but was slower. It would take some time for them to catch up. Damaged as MEarth was, with more than seventy-percent of its wire frame missing, they would reach the battlefield she had in mind. She coughed again, sending more blood into the cockpit.

Hours passed and the girl rested as best she could, wondering if Kako would make it. Something made her open her eyes to madly stare directly at the enemy cockpit, seeking what'd drawn her attention. Not one of the enemy pilots was looking at her, but rather they were all looking to one side or the other, above or below but never at her. She let MEarth drop down on its side and drove the mech deeper, desperately seeking to put distance between whatever plan they had in store for her and the mangled wreck of the mech she rode. Reaching the bottom she kept the machine spinning, digging into the sandy bottom, seeking to hide, to gain shelter. Then the world erupted in chaos as it had all too often that day.

The water above turned to a blinding light and a pressure wave smashed downward slamming into the mech with the fury of Hades itself. Wires snapped while the hoops that gave MEarth its shape crumbled. For more than a minute the eye-searing flashes of light didn't diminish, nor the repeated blast of one shock wave after another. Then it ended. Frantically Chizu took stock of MEarth, frowning in dread. Then slowly, afraid to place too much stress on the machine, she spun it up, rising from the bottom until they stood at a depth of two kilometers again. Few wires were left while not a single hoop remained undamaged. The cockpit at the center of it all was seared black and had two obvious dents that frightened her.

"How many?" she asked, staring at the enemy cockpit, realizing they must have used the entire nuclear arsenal of the planet to carpet bomb the ocean around them, hoping to get lucky.

"Two hundred and fifty-nine thousand warheads," the man replied.

"Ga . . . ." Chizu shook her head in disbelief. "Do you people do anything other than build bombs?"

"Not really. In the end we know it will all be turned to ruin anyway. The more weapons we have then the longer we can hope to delay it."

"I see." She shook her head again. "Close," she admitted.

The man sighed. "Usually with nukes close is good enough. Is it in this case?"

Chizu smiled. "Time will tell. I was sure of victory but I didn't think anyone would have that many nuclear bombs, let alone the capacity to deliver them to one spot so quickly." She shrugged nonchalantly, keeping her facade of calm and nobility in place. "That might have cost us the battle," she admitted, "but what you did might have spelled the end of your own civilization."

"It has," he reassured the girl. "We know well that the use of that arsenal has doomed our civilization. We will fall into savagery for a while, and then new Great Powers will rise. To them we will be the old Great Powers. Such is the cycle. But I do refuse to believe that a world of fools brought us to this. If so then at least our shame will be well hidden."

Chizu nodded, preparing to speak. Then the man frowned, muttering under his breath.

"It seems we will be a while reaching you," he calmly stated a few seconds later.

The girl nodded, knowing the enemy mech had just entered the Japan Trench. She calmed herself, refusing to let the aura of nobility fade. Now, of all times, was the moment when things would be lost or won. To alert the enemy that this was a critical moment would spell defeat. They would have time to think, to plot, and evade the trap. The girl took another slow, agonized breath and coughed up more blood. Nothing new there to alert them. Wiping her mouth, she surveyed the enemy cockpit with calm, blood-shot eyes, not looking to one side or the other. Neither staring nor evading their own gazes.

The sound of something snapping echoing through both mechs frightened Chizu, causing her to believe it was MEarth that was about to die. Then there was a twanging sound and a cry arose on the enemy mech as a man staggered into view with half his arm missing. Then three of the men already in view were instantly sliced in two, splattering the rest of them with blood, giving rise to screams of shock, of disbelief. "I see," the man she'd spoken to so often said. "I see." Then his head left his body creating another geyser of blood that further soaked the enemy cockpit. Four women and two men raced for the pilot seat, knowing it had to be kept occupied. They were cut down as if by an invisible but very deadly blade. Then the screen went blank.

* * *

"But . . . ." Drop Dead muttered, having instantly flown up from the floor where he'd been sulking. "But . . . ." He turned to stare at Chizu. "Damn it. That was a level fifteen mech you wrecked."

"How?" Daichi asked.

"Water pressure," Komo said, speaking barely loud enough to be heard. Maki was immediately by her side, crying, kissing the girl's forehead over and over.

Chizu nodded. "There's no reason for the mechs themselves to be watertight," she explained. "Which means only the cockpits themselves are. From our battles we know roughly how much it takes to crush one. This is the Japan Trench we're in. It has a depth of around eleven kilometers at its deepest." She broke down into another coughing fit, coating more of MEarth's cockpit with her blood. "It was close," she admitted. "At that depth they had a pressure of eleven thousand tons on each square meter of their cockpit. Turns out that wasn't quite enough, but the connection they had to their mech was a weak spot, Water got in through it, and at that pressure it was like the sharpest blade ever. It would have cut through steel."

"Oh." Daichi looked down. "His pulse is weak but steady," he informed the girl.

"Good. Now that we've won the fight, I would really hate to have to kill us all."

The boy gulped, realizing the girl wasn't joking.

Chizu turned towards Penny, "Help me stand."

"Why?" the girl asked, immediately beside her, untying the sheet that held her in place.

"I want to see Kako before I die."

The girl sat beside the boy wondering why she was there and what to do. She knew he loved her, though she wasn't sure why. Having been ZEarth's pilot she also understood why he'd attacked her. Hadn't the anguish of that seat, of knowing it was all going to end, driven her to risk killing people? And she was someone who'd wanted to be punished, to even die. How bad must it have been for the others, for him. She sighed, knowing that while she liked him, she didn't love him in return. Wiping the blood from her mouth she painfully leaned down and gave him a small chaste kiss on the lips. It wasn't something he wouldn't remember but perhaps it would help make up for her killing him.

"Make sure the others know not to attack him," she warned Maki who nodded. "And if anyone needs proof make Moji redo that divination of his, just with a better question." Again the girl nodded. "And keep Kodama under a tight leash." For a third time Maki nodded.

Painfully, Chizu let her body lie down, finally able to rest. No more struggling to sit and play the part of a king. No more worry if she would doom her friends, or even a whole world that'd learned how to make peace. And no more Kodama. Her eyes closed.

* * *

"Hello."

Blinking Chizu sat up to stare around. She was in a field of grass and flowers with Mirror sitting closeby. The air had an aroma of strawberries while the sun overhead was bright, balanced by a cool, refreshing breeze. "Where am I?" Her hand rose to touch her throat, wondering at how glorious it was to be able to speak without pain. But the arm had moved so easily, with no effort at all. The girl looked at it, seeing no sign of wounds or those awful puncture marks. She took another breath, relishing the way the air flowed effortlessly into her lungs without a single ache, let alone the agony she remembered. She flexed her legs and stood, now examining her whole body. Then she paused and slowly lifted her hand to her stomach. It was different. "Where's my baby?"" she asked, not sure all at what she was feeling.

"You are a bit different from the others," Mirror explained. "When MEarth took your life force the baby's, being a part of you, went with it."

Chizu blinked, sitting back down with both hands lifted to cradle her stomach. Then she leaned forward, wondering what the pain in her chest was even as she started to weep uncontrollably, letting the tears flow down her cheeks to fall in large drops on the grass. Yet she still didn't know why she was crying. The girl shook her head, wiping at the tears before letting the hand rest on her stomach again. _Is this grief?_ she wondered. _Is it relief?_ She wasn't sure.

"Right now Sakura is pretty pleased with you," Mirror said, interrupting. "If you wish it back I'm sure she will oblige. You will have to decide soon though."

"I don't know." She clasped her face in her hands, still crying. "Why don't I know?"

Mirror studied the girl before speaking. "Three times you've had the misfortune to met those who prey on others. The first time left you broken. The other two didn't help. Rather they saw you were broken and sought you out, taking whatever they desired. You have a family that loves you. Either of your mother, your father, or your sister would gladly die to protect you. Why didn't you talk to them? You were a child who had too much to bear, and they were right beside you to help you."

 _Even the gods do not try to stand alone,_ Chizu recalled the spider saying. She also realized that the one time she hadn't failed had been when she'd relied upon the people of this world to protect her and her friends. She wiped at her tears, thinking. "I was too ashamed," she finally said an hour later. "I was afraid they would hate me. The man was my parent's friend, someone they'd known since long before I was born, and I was afraid they would trust him over me. I was just a child, after all, not to mention one with a very vivid imagination. I'd made up so many stories I knew they would never believe me. At least that's what he told me. So I used that imagination to pretend it was okay."

"And," Mirror gently prompted.

"It was just like with Kodama. I knew it was wrong, so I knew I was bad, and bad children deserve to be punished, right?" The girl wiped at her tears again. "Then he was found with another girl. My parents never let me see him after that, and I knew I'd been wrong. They would've made sure I was safe even if they hadn't believed me. I was the most precious thing in the whole world to them. But it was too late. They asked me and I lied; I said he'd never touched me. It would've hurt them if they'd known and I was still too ashamed." The girl shook her head. "No. I was even more ashamed. I had let him do those things when I could have stopped it. And I knew if I had done so, that other girl wouldn't have been hurt. That was my fault, just like what happened with Kodama. I didn't tell." She kept her eyes away from the person she was talking to, careful to avoid eye contact, not wanting to see what they thought of her.

"Then you were in grade seven," Mirror said, careful not to judge as she kept her voice low and gentle.

"I avoided people. I was bad remember. But then he talked to me and always smiled. He was patient and seemed so kind and was so handsome. He drew me out and I fell in love with him." Chizu sighed. "I could have said no, I could have yelled, I could have bit him, but I just let him do what he wanted. I wanted to believe it was love. I had someone I loved and trusted and I wanted that to continue. I couldn't bear to part with it." The girl gave a short, sarcastic laugh. "Like I said, I have a really good imagination."

Mirror nodded, wanting desperately to comfort the girl who was just thirteen and but a child.

"Am I bad?" Chizu asked, finally looking at the strange girl who'd listened to her. "Do I deserve to be punished?"

"No," Mirror said firmly. "You're most definitely a good kid. It's just that through no fault of your own you've just had too much of a burden placed on you." Then she pulled the child to her, letting her cry on her shoulder.

* * *

The woman sat beside the child's body wondering what to do. She hadn't known the girl for more than a few hours, but during that time they'd talked. She'd been brilliant, creative, and very understanding of the woman's situation. She'd been a one in a million gem that'd had the misfortune to be broken by life way too early. The girl hadn't said it in so many words but the woman had read the signs. So here she sat, crying for the girl who would never get to grow up, let alone old. There were no parents she could call and the other children hadn't been told yet. So she sat, holding a solitary vigil.

Chizu woke from the dream, wanting to cry as the pain struck her again. Carefully, slowly, she took a shallow breath, trying not to inhale too deeply least it cause her to cough, bringing her even more agony. Pain was something she was now really sick of, and she figured even if she had been a bad girl she'd had more than enough. Few crimes could ever warrant what she'd suffered. Then after a few seconds to reacquaint herself with the misery she opened her eyes to find the woman she'd talked to earlier sitting, crying, holding her hand.

In the end she hadn't even been able to speak to alert the woman she was awake. A gentle squeezing of the hand that held hers had been all she could muster, and it had been more than enough to make the woman shriek and jump. The doctors had rushed in and went to work on her, and she'd listened to them talk. Unlike before they were more careful of what they said, and she figured they really couldn't decide if she was going to live or die.

Once again she was aware of the child within her struggling, seeking to survive in what could only be called a very chaotic and inhospitable environment. She'd decided to keep the girl, as Mirror had told her it would be. She wasn't sure why but thought maybe it was because the child had struggled almost as much as she had. It'd been there for the arrival of Koyemshi and had been with her aboard ZEarth. It'd bore all the torments Kodama had thrown at them, and then it'd ridden into hell against that level fifteen mech. It'd kept her company during all that, had walked through it with her, and she figured she owed it at least a chance at life. She couldn't guarantee it would be a good life, but if it was within her power it would have a chance.

* * *

End of Chapter

Just to note, I used Honshu Island because of the deepwater trench, called the Japan Trench, that's close to it, and not out of any hostility for Japan. I love anime, so I have got to love Japan.

I would ask what people think should happen to Kodama, but I do believe I would be talking to myself, which is something I already do too much of.


	9. Power of Steam

_Time: Six days later._

* * *

 _ **Power of Steam**_

Maki looked around upon entering the hospital room where the group had set up headquarters, seeking sign of the one person she knew wouldn't be there. Not seeing him she gave a deep sigh of relief. Around her were several members of the group working amidst chairs, tables and computer terminals, while one of the walls was a large computer screen. Daichi, as usual, had coolers full of drinks and snacks they could munch on scattered through the room. Most of the stuff had been there originally and they'd just taken it over. Like at the apartment each of them had their own room with their hospital bed, though it wasn't as private with nurses and doctors often passing through to check on them. But here was where they now gathered to chat, eat, play and, most importantly, plot.

In one corner she saw Machi and Ushiro talking with Moji. Faintly she could hear words and phrases like, 'Quick Sort,' and "Binary Search.' As Mirror had suggested Machi was teaching Moji how to be more efficient when he used his ability to divine things. From what little she understood the methods were just ways to break big problems down into little ones. So far though, with one exception, Moji was holding off on using more divination. He'd learned his lesson not to run low and not to assume just because he knew an answer that he knew everything. That one exception had been to find out who'd hurt Chizu in such a manner. As they all now knew it was Kodama. From what she could tell Ushiro was there just to make sure Moji didn't make a move on Machi.

Eyes moving to the right she saw Waku and Chizu plotting together just in front of the huge computer screen. On it were maps of the area around Death Valley which was the desert area they fought at on this world. Waku was sitting while Chizu was stretched out, resting on a small bed that could transform into any one of several shapes, including that of a wheelchair. While the technology of this world was incredible, it had its limits and Chizu would take at least a month to fully recover. On their old Earth she probably would've been severely crippled in some way for the rest of her life. The girl had taken to spending time with the rest of them now and her contributions to any topic was almost as incredible as her performance when she'd piloted MEarth. Listening, Maki could hear them talking about something called the Ubehebe Crater as well compression density and underground springs.

Turning to the far corner of the room she saw Anko, Nakama, Machi, and Komo. Walking over she took a seat. "Any new ideas?" she asked.

"Nope," Komo replied, casting a big smile her way. "Just more paint and more spider stuff."

Maki nodded. "Still, those should have quite an impact on the poor guy."

"Don't call him a poor guy," Komo snorted. "He wants to kill us all." She shivered. "He's evil."

"True." Maki shrugged and then sighed.

"I think the spider gag is going to be pretty neat," Anko said. "It'll freak the heck out of him."

"For sure," Maki agreed. She gave another deep sigh.

"We could alway try to paint him," Nakama suggested. "Just suggesting it is now getting old. Let's go with it?"

"Why not," Maki agreed. She gave another deep sigh.

"Something wrong?" Komo asked, finally picking up on the whole sigh thing.

Maki looked at her best friend, thinking. With a shake of her head, she stood. "Nay. I'm going to check out Ms. Brainiac over there." Forcing a smile she turned away.

Pausing, she glanced at the one other member of their group that was in the room, Kodama. He was working peacefully at a computer console as if nothing had happened. Noticing her watching he even tossed a smile her way, causing her stomach to roll. Quickly turning away she frowned, not understanding any of the things that'd been going on lately. Kodama was still treated as a part of the group despite what he'd done. It was almost if everyone had come down with a case of collective amnesia about it, thought she knew that wasn't the case. They just didn't care and that puzzled the heck out of her. Then there was Kako, everyone hated his guts even if he was innocent of what'd been done to Chizu. Everyone that is except Kirie and Chizu herself. If the group had the power to cast someone out by a vote where everyone's vote was secret she knew Kako would be history. If it had to be public then it might be Kodama that got cast out, maybe. Maki took a deep breath, wanting to scream and rage at them. Kako, under the pressure of knowing he was going to die, had tried to rape Chizu. Kodama, on the other hand, had not only raped her multiple times but tortured her almost to death with the goal of actually killing her.

Maki shook her head violently, pushing the disturbing thoughts to one side, and ran her hands through her hair. Taking another deep breath she headed over to where Chizu was. "Hey," she said.

Waku looked up. "This girl is brilliant," he stated dramatically. "Her ideas are . . . ." The awestruck boy shook his head. "Just incredible." He looked at Chizu with something akin to interest.

"So I heard," Maki replied, frowning again. Lately it'd been her default expression. Briefly, she wondered how Kako would take it if Chizu and Waku became an item. He'd been the one member of the group who hadn't been to the headquarters yet. Also, as far as she knew, no one other than Kirie had bothered to visit him. She wanted to but knew she wouldn't be welcome. First there was the whole breaking an oath thing, which was the only reason the group knew about the attempted rape in the first place. Then there was the one-hundred and sixty-eight holes she'd punched in him with those damned needles. Just how did you apologize for either of those? So for six whole days she'd played the part of a coward and stayed away.

"You okay?" Chizu asked?

Maki snorted. "No. What I don't understand is how any of you are." She glanced around the room again, wanting to point out the fact that Kodama was in their midst at the same time Chizu was. That she had to lie there while the bastard who'd almost tortured her to death was just fifteen or so feet away.

"What's wrong?" Waku asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Talk to Kako lately?" she finally asked, having put it off for days.

"No," the boy growled, features shifting to resemble something out of a horror movie. "And if he shows up here while Chizu is I will kill him. Freaking monster."

Maki cringed, wanting to slap the idiot who sat in front of her. "Right," she stated impassively, trying to suppress her rage. Teeth firmly ground together she glanced at Chizu. The girl stared back, looking sad and confused as well. In her eyes there was a hint of fury but it was well hidden.

"Right," Maki repeated, turning to leave least she actually start a fight. She'd only taken three steps when Machi stood.

"One hour," the girl said just short of bellowing. "Alert everyone and make sure they're prepared. We go with paint plan three and spider plan six. That will give Moji more than enough time to choose a pilot and get some basic info on the enemy."

Maki sighed, ceasing her rapid stride. Since she hadn't seen Mirror she assumed the girl had used telepathy, or whatever, to tell Machi. None of them had seen her since they'd been at the hospital, and with six days since the last fight they'd even wondered if it was all over. Maybe the girl, whatever she was, had blasted MEarth into atoms and abandoned them here. Given how they were all acting like a bunch of kids Maki wouldn't have blamed her, but it seemed they were still on the job and around her everyone rushed to prepare. Maki was starting to think Mirror was more than a few pennies short of a dollar. Maybe even a full dollar short of a dollar. Any sane person by now would've moved on and recruited another bunch of fools. With another sigh, still frowning, she changed direction and rushed to prepare herself.

* * *

"Okay people," Drop Dead shouted an hour later. "Last time was wonderful. You played the game and even if you did somehow destroy that level fifteen mech one of you miserable brats still . . . ." The ceramic-looking creature went silent for a few seconds. "Why aren't you dead?" he then roared at Chizu.

"Trust me, I ask myself that same question every day," the girl replied innocently. "Being dead is pretty peaceful."

"But . . . ." Drop Dead stared around, looking at the rest of the kids. "Not going to tell me how late I am today, naked boy?"

Maki turned around, then let her jaw drop. Kako was standing there, hands on his head which was full of soap or shampoo. He was wet and totally naked. Around her she heard giggling and snickers. _No one told him,_ she guessed, fuming. From the way his hands gripped his hair before he slowly lowered them and opened his eyes, she knew he was furious as well. The girl couldn't help but wondered if the whole group was crazy, provoking a fight right now, and if she should put in for a transfer. _If only I knew how,_ she told herself, seething inside.

"Seems I was left out of the loop," Kako replied with forced calm. "I won't tell the boss you're always late if you don't tell him I showed up for work naked." Under his breath he slowly counted to ten, struggling not to let the rage take him. He stood thinking for a second, then smiled. If they wanted to play he was willing to. "Guess the guys wanted to see a real penis," he told the floating Snotball. "At least some of them are into guys so I guess that's natural." He winked at Waku and Moji who were standing together. "Heard you guys got bored during the last trip and got into a sixty-nine position." He'd been unconscious for most of it but whatever drugs he'd been given had started to wear off toward the end. He'd seen Penny have to move the two guys apart.

"Faggot," Waku roared.

Kako gave the boy a slight smile, not bothering to cover himself as he sat down, legs slightly spread. "Hey, Snotty," he called.

"That's not my name." Drop Dead said, still not knowing how to react to these crazy kids.

"You got cameras on this thing, right? Show us that sixty-nine Waku and Moji did with each other during the last fight."

"Why should I bother . . . ." He gave a sigh. "Whatever." The screen came alive showing the image of the last fight where the two, Waku and Moji, had been close together. From the angle one could have sworn they were deep in heated, gay passion. Slight vibrations from MEarth roaring through nuclear explosion made the two tremble once in a while, adding realism.

Waku blinked while Moji went pale.

"A picture is worth a thousand words," Kako said, shrugging with no attempt to preserve his modesty. "No touching, but since both of you are rather lacking, I don't mind you taking a glance once in a while."

Maki studied Kako's penis wondering if it was large. It didn't seem to be, but from the looks on the other guys' faces she assumed he had them beat. Waku and Moji were still frozen, not sure what to do. The girls were looking on with interest but had stopped giggling, realizing in this battle they'd picked the losing team.

"Bastard," Waku stepped forward, followed by Moji.

"Coward," Daichi added, stepping up beside them.

"Coward?" Kako asked, head tilted as he studied the boy. "Whatever do you mean?" The boy casually stood and placed his hands on the back of his chair.

"Kicking people in the groin," Daichi replied, forcing the words out through closed teeth. "Using a knife."

Kako snorted, causing his penis to jiggle. "One, you kicked first. I know because it was me who you kicked. What does that make you?." He spoke the words nonchalantly in a low voice, with nothing in his tone or stance to indicate aggression. Just the words themselves.

Daichi's fist clenched even tighter and he took a step forward. "I was protecting Chizu," he countered.

"Second it was your team that brought both a knife and a steel rod to the fight," Kako said, still sounding totally calm.

"We did not." This came from Waku.

"I was the one you were trying to kill. I didn't bring the knife or the pipe, so that leaves your team." Kako said with an indifferent shrug.

"Kodama was the one who . . . ." Waku started.

"Who was on your side," Kako quietly replied, interrupting. "He certainly wasn't on mine given the way he attacked me."

"He wasn't . . . ." Moji tried to counter.

"So let's see who's the coward, shall we?" Kako said, sounding indifferent to the whole debate. "You kicked me in the groin first. It was eleven against two. Your side brought a knife. Your side also brought a steel rod or something. You also went berserk and attacked first. Oh, and one of you used two-dozen knitting needles as a weapon." The boy shrugged. "Any neutral parties here want to make a decision on who the cowards are?" He looked around the room.

Daichi's face turned red while his eyes bulged in rage. "You attacked Chizu." He retorted, bordering on an insane fury as he had the day of the last fight.

"You protected the person who raped and tortured her," Kako countered.

"We didn't know," Daichi snapped back. "We did know you attacked her. We should tear you to pieces." He started to take another step forward.

"Right," Kako snorted derisively. "However, during the last week you've been pretty tight with the guy who tried to torture her to death." His eyes narrowed in unchecked rage. "Not even one bloody freaking word from any of you against him all week, just nods and even a smile or two." His fists now also clenched, and while still ignoring his modesty he stepped from behind his chair. "If I take a step into that room, you know me, the only guy who even tried to stop the guy who nearly killed her, and it's like a bunch of freaking, crazed dogs scenting blood."

Practically foaming at the mouth, Daichi stepped forward with Waku and Moji right behind him.

Refusing to let them get in the first strike this time, not with his left testicle still aching, Kako stepped forward driving his fist into Daichi's solar plexus. As the boy bent over he snapped his knee upward, creating an explosion of blood. Shifting his posture to keep his eyes on the other two, knowing it would be just seconds before the rest of them joined in, Kako then pivoted to his right, planning to go after Moji next.

"Stop," Chizu shouted, bringing Kako to a halt. She noted that Waku and Moji were less inclined to back off just by her words, but did so after they gave Daichi a second glance. Without the older and more powerful boy behind them it seemed their own blood lust was severely diminished.

Chizu took a deep breath and sprayed her throat with some of the lemon-tasting spray she'd been given. "Please don't make me shout again," she said. "It hurts and I'm really sick of hurting."

"Sorry," Kako said, frowning as he returned to his original position behind his chair. He didn't look at the girl.

"No, fight," Drop Dead urged them. Even if piloting a mech didn't kill then it was obvious they could hurt each other. With these kids it just didn't pay to be too fussy where one got their jollies.

Chizu glanced down, then turned her eyes back up to look at Kako again. "I've seen bigger," she told him, "but I wish I hadn't. It hurts." She gave him a tiny smile. Then taking a deep breath, wishing she'd done it when they'd first arrived on this world, she looked the boy in the eye. "I'm sorry I killed you," she said. "I really really am sorry."

Kako blinked. "You didn't kill me," he stated, sincerely puzzled.

"I'm the one who knocked you down those stairs. If I hadn't then . . . ." She looked away. "I wish I hadn't."

Kako shook his head. "You didn't kill me," he said. "The ceiling falling did. If you hadn't come it would still have happened. I'm guessing if the concrete broke then the glass in the aquarium did too, so I was dead either way."

"But . . . ." Chizu looked at her hands.

"And you had every right to knock me down those steps, even to kill me if you wanted. I was attacking you. I was . . . ."

"I didn't understand, at least not until I sat in that seat. Then it was too late." Chizu sighed. "You were right. It was all going to end anyway, so why not? I had nothing to lose. Certainly not my dignity." The girl snorted. "At least it would've been real and not like the dream I'd made up." She wiped at her tears.

"Nothing excuses . . . ." Waku started.

"Shut up," Chizu told the boy sharply. "For one, this isn't any of your concern. For another, you've never sat in that seat knowing the truth. You've never known what it feels like. Even now you don't, so don't think to judge." She sprayed her throat again, savoring the lemony taste, pausing to think. "If his crime is so great then imagine how much greater mine is. I killed who knows how many in my bid for a vengeance I couldn't even carry out." She looked around the room. "His pales in comparison, so are you going to try to lynch me?" Only silence met her words as every eye turned away from her.

"Of course it didn't all end," Chizu continued. "And while back then I think I should've, it's now different." She looked up at Kako. "Sorry. I like you, but I don't love you. I'm not sure I know what love is anymore. And as for sex, I'm not going to try that again until I'm thirty. or at least not for a long long time." She took a deep breath. "Can we be friends?" To her dismay the boy looked away.

"Poor little Rapist Boy got shot down," Komo said in a mocking tone. She snorted, laughing.

"Komo, shut up," Maki said, shocking the girl. She turned back to Chizu. "I messed up. He trusted me, but back then I backstabbed him," she told the downcast girl. Recalling the look of betrayal he'd cast her way she wanted to weep. She'd had someone besides Komo who knew and trusted her, a second true friend, and she'd had to go and ruin it.

"I did wonder how you knew about it," Chizu replied, still frowning.

"I'm sorry." Maki looked around the room. "And I don't think even one of us has apologized yet. We even prefer a sociopath over him."

"Kodama isn't a sociopath," Chizu told the girl.

"Huh? But, . . . ."

"I talked it over with Mirror. Seems there's nothing wrong with his brain. It's just that he has a liking for hearing people scream, and he plays them like a musician would a musical instrument. When they're about to die he decides how well he played the instrument by their eyes and if they want to die." She shrugged. "He could stop, but it's like a person who loves drums; he doesn't see any reason to. His delusion of being the chosen is just an excuse he's come up with for his behavior."

"Oh." Maki didn't know what else to say so she let her eyes slide over towards Kako who was still naked. She frowned, not knowing what to do.

"Penny, help me, please," Chizu said.

"Of course." The girl was only too willing to help the person, the friend, she'd believed dead for six whole days.

"My arms are still weak. Help me take off my top."

Instantly every pair of eyes in the room, except one, was on the girl.

"Why?" Penny asked, pausing in the process of kneeling down to help the girl.

"Don't bother," Maki told her. "I've got more to apologize for than you." Taking a deep gulp of air, she quickly unzipped her own shirt and handed it over to Kako, trying to ignore the fact that every eye in the room was now on her chest. "I'm sorry," she told the boy. "I betrayed the oath I took. And I did mean to visit but I kept chickening out. I knew you would hate me."

Kako stood still, not reaching for the shirt. Finally, without taking it, he turned away, sitting down with no attempt at modesty at all. "Have any of you geniuses looked at the mech we're to fight?" he asked stoically, "I know Waku and Moji are still drooling over my penis, but surely one of you . . . ."

Red faced, Maki put the shirt back on, looking at the screen as she did so. She gasped. "Oh." Not able to think of anything to add she continued to stare at a mech that was identical to ZEarth.

Sputtering, still casting dark, foreboding looks at Kako, Waku turned to look as well. "Crap."

"So, Mr. I'm Never Wrong, who's the pilot for today?" Kako asked.

"What about the plan?" Komo asked.

"You mean the one to assassinate me under the guise of playing paintball?" Kako asked.

"We weren't . . . ."

"Just be quiet," Kako interrupted. "I'm too tired to care what you meant. Speak up," he added, turning to Moji.

Moji pointed at Maki.

"No," Komo said, immediately forgetting the plan. "Why her? Why not him?" She pointed at Kako.

"He's already piloted, Komo," Maki said, touched the girl still cared after the way she'd snapped at her.

"So, be a good way to get rid of him."

"Why him and not Kodama," Chizu asked, "because I'm really puzzled why you hate him so much. For crying out loud, Kodama is the one who nearly killed you. Kodama is also the one who if he could, would tie you down, rape you, and then torture you to death, smiling the whole bloody time." Her eyes bore into the girl's. "He's also the one who would gladly do the same to Maki as he did to me. Just what the bloody hell is wrong with you people?" She growled the words, face red with anger.

"But . . . ." Komo started.

"Do you want Kodama to rape Maki?" Chizu asked angrily, interrupting.

"Of course not," Komo replied, shocked. "I would never . . . ."

"Do you want him to take an eighteen-inch needle and repeatedly push it up through her arm" The girl raised her own arm and drew a line from her palm up past her elbow to illustrated what she meant. 'Trust me, it hurts like a bitch and if you move the arm it rips your flesh to shreds. Do you want that done to Maki?"

"That's insane?" Komo replied, face going white. "You're crazy."

"Crazy pissed," Chizu admitted. She glared up at the girl, eyes ablaze with anger. Then she smiled. "I know. If you like Kodama so much, how about we give you two some alone time?" Her demented smile sent the other girl staggering back several feet.

"Um . . . ."

Chizu turned to Drop Dead. "Hey, Snotty," she called.

"That's not my name . . . ."

"Yeah, tell it to the police," the girl retorted. "Want to play a game? You might get to see someone die slowly, screaming the whole time."

Drop Dead was instantly floating down beside the girl. "I'm interested," he admitted.

"Get me two needles," Chizu told him. "Eighteen inches long, about two millimeters in diameter, and decently sharp at the ends."

"Done," Drop Dead replied a few seconds later. The two needles appeared on the floor in front of the girl.

"Thanks," Chizu replied, grabbing them. One she tossed over to Kodama who caught it. The other she tossed at Kako who let it hit him with a puzzled look on his face. The needle dropped to the floor. "Pick it up," she ordered the boy."

"Why?"

The girl shook her head, exasperated. "Okay, Drop Dead," she said, looking at Komo. "I want you to send Kodama to an isolated area on the planet. Then send Kako to another such area. You then give Komo a choice. She can join Kodama for some alone time or she can choose to go to Kako for however long it takes us to finish this fight."

"Hey, wait a second," Daichi screamed, rushing in to try to protect one of his kids. "That's crazy. You can't do that. He would . . . ." His eyes turned towards Kodama.

"I'm sure that sweet little pal of yours wouldn't do anything too rash, right?" Chizu retorted. "I mean, you did chat with him quite a few times over the last week. You even offered him snacks." She shrugged, turning towards Kodama. "If the girl just happens to slip or fall then it wouldn't be your fault, right? There wouldn't even be any need for Drop Dead to bring the corpse back here."

Komo stood staring, face white, having trouble breathing. "But . . . ."

"Okay. I hate that seat Maki as much as you do, but we have to do this." Chizu looked apologetically up at the girl.

"Yeah. I hate this seat," Maki agreed, sitting down. Looking around she saw Kodama and Kako were nowhere to be seen. Poor Komo was spluttering and trying to avoid making either choice.

"Give her ten more seconds," Chizu said coldly, "then send her to one at random."

"That's a bit harsh," Maki said, starting to panic a little. "If she chooses Kodama she could be hurt real bad. She could even die. I know the point you're trying to make, but . . . . Stop it," she commanded.

"She's not that stupid." Chizu tilted her head, thinking. "At least I hope not."

"Choose Kako," Moji suddenly stood, shouting. "You die if you go with Kodama." His face was pale.

Chizu watched as Komo disappeared. "We can play this game again next time," she suggested, "if you all want to. While I am sure Kako won't kill you, you did try to kill him." She shrugged. "I'm sure he'll be glad to have some fun with you for a while."

"But . . . ." Daichi, pale looking, stared at where Komo had been. He also looked confused.

* * *

"Guess it's time to fight," Maki said, sounding tired. "But you know, I'm sick of all the drama and I'm sick of this thing having no weapons." She looked around the room. "Do we talk to them or not?" the girl asked, knowing they had to.

When the screen to the enemy mech flickered on all of them watched with an avid interest that puzzled both Drop Dead and Penny.

"We were told to wait," a woman in a Japanese uniform said. "Who dares to impose such an insult on the imperial forces of Japan."

"Our apologies," Chizu said apologetically. "Unfortunately we tend to have a lot of disruptive people in this group." She glanced around the room with a frown. "I'm starting to think we should've went with toddlers in their terrible twos. I'm pretty sure they would be much better behaved."

The enemy woman studied the girl who was still sitting on the floor. "You're a kid," she stated. "And that weird looking mech of yours has no weapons."

"Right on both accounts," Chizu told her. "And trust me, I'm getting sick of that. In fact, I'm sure people are getting sick of hearing me say I'm sick of it."

"Have you won any fights?" the woman asked, then shook her head. "You couldn't have. I'm sorry. God, I'm sick of this."

"We've won a few," Chizu replied, closely examining the woman's uniform. From what she could tell it was exactly the same as from her world. _Komo would know,_ she muttered to herself, not liking the irony. "Who's the Japanese president in your world?" she asked.

"Yuki Akira Minami, the woman replied. "Why? Who rules your Earth?"

The group looked around at each other. "Actually, we're not sure," Chizu replied. "We never considered it important. We were just curious."

"Oh." The woman frowned again. "My luck I would have to kill a kid," she muttered, sounding as tired as Chizu did.

Chizu frowned as well, then glanced at Maki who nodded. "Drop Dead," she said, "show them an image of the last mech we fought. The level fifteen."

In the enemy cockpit there were gasps of shock followed by exclamations of disbelief.

"Why?" Waku and Moji muttered angrily. "They would've had their guard down."

"Precisely," Maki told the two. "Would that be fair? Should we use the fact that we're children as a weapon as one world did?" She frowned, recalling the girl called Jenny who'd loved blueberry cake and her big brother.

"No." The two sat back down, lost in thought as well.

"This is a trick," the woman insisted a few minutes later when the clamor had died down. "How could you destroy that without weapons?" She paused. "Unless your world has powerful weapons of its own?"

Chizu shook her head. "This mech is fast enough to travel on the surface of the ocean. We simply led it into the Japan Trench. There nature took its course."

Waku and Moji slapped themselves on the forehead.

"Oh." The woman studied Chizu again. "In other words we shouldn't underestimate you?"

Chizu nodded. "We have a world to protect as do you. Both of us will do what's necessary."

The woman nodded. "Then shall we begin?"

Chizu looked at Maki. "Ready?" she asked.

"Are you sure this isn't . . . . You know." She looked down at Chizu.

"Is isn't," Chizu and Moji assured her. "Close, but different," Chizu added, shooing a confused Drop Dead aside.

"Ready then," Maki said. "What's the plan?"

"UCM," Chizu replied.

Maki blinked. "In a language I can understand, please." She pulled back from the mech she thought of as ZEarth, spinning as was MEarth signature move now. A sandstorm whipped up, confusing the enemy. Several lasers hit around them with a few actually snapping a wire or two. As the enemy mech burst through the smokescreen the girl pulled MEarth back further, tossing up more sand.

"Head southeast for fifteen kilometers," Chizu told the girl.

"Oh. That plan," Maki nodded. "Will try." In mechs that towered five-hundred meters a dozen or so kilometers was nothing, and as MEarth led the way in a swirling hurricane of sand the enemy cautiously followed.

"What are the odds?" Maki asked less than three minutes later.

"The geological surveys of this Earth are highly comprehensive," Chizu replied. "I think the odds are pretty good while Waku is more unsure. I think the scale of things has him a bit daunted."

"Oh." Maki pulled MEarth back another kilometer, kicking up more sand in the process. She then rolled MEarth around the crater in question, hoping the enemy would step in it. Being wary of traps the enemy mech instead walked around it as well, somehow seeing it in the blizzard of sand.

"Maybe we gave away too much," Chizu mused aloud. "We made them too cautious."

Maki pouted, thinking. "Yeah." Circling around the crater she let MEarth roll off the steep cliff on one side to drop two-hundred meters down into the pit. Then she drove the mech up over the more gentle slope on the other side. "That should show them it's safe."

Chizu nodded. "So far they've only stepped on ground we've passed over. So we can hope." A moment later she muttered under her breath when the enemy once again stepped around the crater.

"Damn," Maki swore. "I really want to get Komo back too. I trust Kako, but who knows where Snotty sent them."

"No place nice I'm sure," Chizu replied.

"Yeah." In a fit of desperate fury Maki drove MEarth into the enemy, trying to tip the giant mech over into the crater. The sharp tips of the enemy's arms immediately responded by ripping dozens of the wires that held MEarth together, while their lasers shredded several more. One arm actually poked through the wires to graze the cockpit, prompting Maki to cringe and frantically try to pull MEarth back to safety. Kicking sand into the face of the enemy MEarth managed to pull away, losing a dozen or more wires in the process. "Those arms are pretty much designed to handle a mech like this," Maki fumed.

"True," Chizu said, nodding with her heart up in her throat.

"Just get in the crater and spin," Waku suggested, or rather ordered as he was the team leader. "They will have to follow us in, and since we'll be in there they'll know it's safe to do so." The boy frowned. "Whatever you do, just be sure to keep spinning."

"Will lose a lot of wire though," Chizu said. "An awful lot."

"I know," Waku said, cringing at the image his mind conjured up. "But we can spare the wire and it will keep them from targeting our cockpit."

"Going in," Maki said, letting the mech roll down the gentler slope of the crater where she then spun the massive machine called MEarth up.

ZEarth followed, daring both the intense sand storm and their worries about the crater to do so. When nothing happened they began to thrash the unseen enemy time and time again with their powerful arms. Flashes of energy frequently lit the darkness of the sand storm as their energy weapons sought the enemy.

"Nothing is happening," Maki said, cringing, wanting to pull back.

"Hold for maybe five minutes," Chizu said, also cringing as the twanging of wires being stripped from MEarth reached their ears. She automatically ducked when laser flashes grazed their cockpit, leaving a small but distinct burn mark on it.

"If the pay wasn't good, . . . ." Maki muttered under her breath, face pale. She turned even whiter when one of ZEarth's arms once again poked through the wire cover of MEarth, coming way too close to the cockpit.

"Just another minute or two," Chizu said, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Should've known this was crazy from the way you piloted this thing last week," Maki nervously quipped, wanting to close her eyes. Then there was an explosion as Ubehebe Crater erupted, sending rock fragments smashing out in every direction for more than a kilometer. Vapour puffed violently into the sky in super hot, billowing clouds while the ground grew warmer and magma actually rose from cracks in the shaking ground.

"Get out," Chizu and Waku shouted even as Maki did so.

"About time," Maki said, standing MEarth on the rim of the crater. There she madly spun the machine around and around as fast as she could, sending rocks and sand into the air by the thousands of tons. While the falling debri wouldn't hurt ZEarth the expectation was that the enemy machine was still in the crater, hopefully hip deep in magma. The girl continued to spin for an hour before, drenched in sweat, she stopped.

"Keep spinning," Waku sharply commanded when they managed to see the enemy. Zearth was down on its knees in the crater with its arms moving swiftly and precisely to smash apart the cooling rock that coated parts of its lower body. It was a work of patience as the parts freed were immediately incrusted again and again by the magma that covered the bottom of the pit. The mech would be trapped until either the magma in the pit cooled or those valiant and powerful arms turned the tide and freed them.

"It's working," Maki said, sounding surprised even as she recreated the sandstorm that kept the enemy from precisely targeting the stone shackles that held them imprisoned in the fiery pit.

"Of course," Chizu said. "Our combined weight was enough to compress the earth, causing magma and water beneath the ground to combine which produced an explosion. For a while some magma will make its way up into the pit, keeping them trapped for a few hours." The girl frowned. "They will be cooked alive."

"Not a nice way to go," Maki said, having to force herself to command MEarth to keep up the smokescreen. Nor was it, she recalled, the first time they'd used such a method to win a fight. It was a dirty way to do things even if it did keep this world alive. She sighed.

"That was a level nine," Drop Dead told them two hours later. "Pretty good on the armor with some decent attack power." He turned away from the screen to peer at the kids. "Anyway, just so long at the Maki kid dies I'm happy. I figured if you kids win no matter what I might as well bet on you."

* * *

"Bring back Komo and Kako now," Maki ordered, jumping out the pilot seat to stand in front of the creature. "Right no . . . ."

"Arrggghh," Komo screamed, thrusting herself up and away from Kako where the two had just appeared on the floor, wrapped together in a close embrace. The girl dashed across the room screaming, 'pervert,' over and over. She hid behind Maki, trembling violently and uncontrollably. She blinked for a second, realized her best friend was still alive, and forgot about Kako. Overwhelmingly happy, she then decided that that same best friend should be rewarded not only her first kiss but her second as well.

"Damn pervert," Daichi growled, quickly stepping closer to Kako who was obviously aroused. He smashed his foot over and over into the groin of the boy who was also trembling uncontrollably.

"Stop," Komo suddenly screamed in shock. "Stop. What are you doing?" She stared in horror at Kako who was now unconscious from the pain of having his groin area brutally and mercilessly kicked several times by the older and much more powerful boy. "Why?" Komo asked, looking up at Daichi. "Why?" her eyes turned back to the boy on the floor. "Oh God."

"He was attacking you," Daichi simply said, puzzled by the girl's reaction. "He deserved it. He won't be allowed in the group anymore."

"Komo," Machi said, tightly holding the girl who felt as cold as ice, if not colder. "Did he attack you?"

"No." Komo shook her head over and over. "He never even tried to touch me. Not really."

"But he had his arms on you," Daichi countered. "Don't lie. It was obvious. We all saw it."

"Snotty, please send Kako back to the hospital," Chizu said.

"I'm not finished with him yet," Daichi said.

"You are," Chizu said bluntly. "Send him back," the girl ordered.

Drop Dead obeyed, all the while muttering under his breath something about being nothing more than a glorified taxi driver.

Chizu turned back to Maki and Komo. "You're freezing," she said, observing the girl. "I assume you two were huddled together for body heat and nature took its course?"

Komo gulped, still shivering, and nodded with her eyes on the floor where Kako had been. "It was dark and there was nothing but snow and more snow." She shuddered. "The only thing other than the snow was the wind." The girl shook her head. "I've never been so cold in my life."

"But, . . . ." Daichi started, then fell silent.

"I don't know how he stood it," Komo added. "I had clothes and I was too cold to move. He just bent down and started digging a tunnel like he didn't feel it at all. We, or rather he, made a small place inside and I joined him. We wanted the place to be as small as possible so our body heat could warm the air so we cuddled." Komo looked around the room. "We were really close together, and I was really cold, so I kept shivering and touching him." The girl blushed a crimson red. "But he never tried to do anything. I think he hates me too much to even consider it. We just talked a lot."

"I guess that ends the team as it is," Chizu said. "We will still be called here to fight, but we won't be a team. I asked the doctors how he was doing. In that last fight one of his testicles was crushed. And just now I'm pretty sure both were. If we were back hom . . . . " She glanced at Drop Dead. "If we were back a hundred years ago he would now be neutered. Here it can be fixed but I doubt he'll be in a good mood." The girl looked at Daichi. "He was cold too. They's why he was on the ground shivering like that. And that makes twice you attacked first without warning, but this time I doubt he could have even tried to defend himself. I know you thought you were in the right but you weren't."

The group went quiet recalling Mirror's words from several days past: ' _Just remember, you're a team.'_ They all knew they needed to be a team to win, that if they weren't then they would lose. Why else would the strange girl have mentioned it if it wasn't important?"

"He was exposed to the cold more than I was," Komo finally said. "He took the position closest to the tunnel leading outside. He was the one who kept it open so we could breathe." She tried to clear from her mind the way he'd been kicked. It'd been so hard he'd slid across the floor.

 _'We ask that you remember that deal when today has passed.'_ Machi recalled Mirror's words even though six days had passed. She also recalled that she'd insisted Kodama be part of the deal despite Mirror and Sakura resisting the idea. _What do we do?_ she asked herself, frowning as intensely as the rest of the gang. _They came to me first. The rest of them, except for Ushiro, don't even know all of the deal. And Mirror thinks of me as the leader._ The determined girl took a deep sigh, clenched her fists, and stepped forward, switching her cell phone to record.

"Who cut him out of the loop?" Machi asked, voice firm yet barely carrying across the room. When the entire group, including Drop Dead and Penny, looked her way she wanted to cringe.

"Me and Daichi," Moji admitted. "But I'm no longer sure why."

"The two most rational people in the group?" Machi stated, puzzled. "Why?"

"I'm guessing they wanted to defend the team," Chizu said, "even if it was against imaginary foes."

"Whatever." Machi shook her head, refocusing her thoughts. "Last week we had a reason, or so we believed, to be angry. Then we _knew_ he was responsible for what had been done to Chizu. We were proved wrong. At that time everyone should've backed off and apologized. We didn't. In fact, many of us continued to be hostile towards him while, for some reason, being friendly towards the actual monster." The girl looked around the room, eyes flashing. "In any group there has to be some rules to keep order. When crimes are committed there has to be a response, a punishment for the crime." The girl turned to look at Moji and Daichi. "Since you two thought bringing him here naked was a good idea you will spend the next three days naked yourselves."

"We didn't know he would be naked," Moji insisted.

"I'm the leader," Waku said, stepping forward. "I should get to impose the rules. And three days is too much. He was only here for minutes."

"No," Machi countered. "You're team leader when it comes to fighting. I'm the leader of the group."

"Why?" the boy asked. "Mirror said I was leader."

"Only because I suck at leading a team," Machi replied, not backing down. "You were needed to stand in for me because you have experience at being on a team and should know how to run one." She shook her head. "But this time you're one of the ones who messed up, remember? You remained hostile towards Kako throughout the entire week and you also tried to provoke a fight within the team at a critical moment. What would have happened if they'd attacked us without letting us have our little quarrel? Or for that matter, during the last fight when we needed more than just a little time to settle matters." She gulped nervously, looking embarrassed. "Even though we hadn't learned the truth at that time, we should still have focused on the fight." She looked over at Chizu. "Sorry for making so much trouble for you back then." She bowed her head. "And thanks for cleaning it up in a very spectacular fashion."

"So they go naked for three days?" Chizu asked, eyebrows raised. "I'm sure the girls will love that, but I'm not sure if it'll soothe Kako's feelings."

"We didn't know he would be naked," Moji repeated, sounding frantic.

"You didn't know he wouldn't be either," Machi countered. "Three days naked; take it or leave it."

"And if we don't?" Moji fumed.

"Then you're off the team."

"You don't have that sort of power. None of us do," Waku butted in.

"Don't I?" Machi asked, looking Moji in the eye. "Why don't you do a little divination?"

The boy froze, eyes closed for several seconds. "You do," he admitted sounding incredulous. "How? Why?"

Machi shrugged. While both Sakura and Mirror insisted they be the pilots for her group she also knew the task, whatever it was, was far more important. She could force the issue and insist they leave if they caused trouble, and that it would in no way break the individual agreements Sakura had made with each of them. She guessed the demi was old enough and wise enough not to make conflicting agreements.

"Decide," the resolute girl stated, staring down the two stunned boys. "Accept punishment for what you did or leave? Of course you will be paid for what you've done so far, but beyond that . . . ." She shrugged.

Both Moji and Daichi looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

"Of course," Machi added, "you would be missed. The way Daichi takes care of us is like having a mother with us. Just one who's not too invasive or judgemental. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think all of us love you like a mother as well." She shrugged, looking down with her face turning red before continuing. "And Moji is our seer. We'll never find anyone who can replace him in that regard. It would be like trying to find a better pilot than Kirie; it just isn't going to happen." The girl took another deep breath. "But much as we love you, or as good as you are at your job, if the team breaks then the billions of people on this world die." She looked up, eyes flaring. "I won't allow that to happen."

"I joined because I knew I would be needed," Moji said, "but I'm no longer sure that's the case. You've all become pretty good at taking down those mechs even without having any weapons, or having my help. But . . . . " He shook his head. "Why did we focus so much on hating him? I don't understand."

"I don't either," Machi admitted. "I'm hoping you'll stay. And while I do promise to try not to stare too much, I'm not sure I'll keep that promise." From her left side she heard Ushiro growl. "But I'll also make it clear right now to the whole group that whoever makes a single word of fun at you while you're in that state, other than Kako, will face the same punishment and even he only gets to go so far."

Moji sighed while his fingers slowly rose to fumble at the zipper to his shirt. beside him Daichi also started to strip.

"Wait," Machi said, pointing at Daichi. "You were part of the group who cut him out of the loop but you did something much worse. You neutered him viciously and without warning. There will be extra punishment for that which we should decide before you, um." The girl blushed. "If you leave then there's no need for you to embarrass yourself like that." She looked down, closing her eyes. "Moji please move out of sight. I can't think with you there like that."

"What is it," Daichi asked stoically.

"I don't know. He was neutered, but I can't bring myself to say . . . ."

"That I deserve the same?" Daichi asked.

Machi shrugged. "I want to go easy on you so you'll stay. But you kicked him so hard he slid across the floor. And you did it several times." The girl shuddered. "God, that was so scary and I don't even know if this will get him to stay, or remain part of the team. Even if he leaves though I want him to at least know there was some sort of justice."

"It will," Maki said. "If he sees justice done, and if he's not excluded again, I think he'll stay. At least I hope so. I like talking to him."

"Good," Machi replied. "But . . . ." She looked at Daichi. "We know you think of us as your kids, so why not Kako? Yes, he attacked Chizu, but he also tried to protect her. Actually, he was the only one who tried to. And when he had that knife he could have cut you all down, but instead there were no really bad stab wounds. The most serious was the one he took himself in the chest. How can you call the person who goes easy on those trying to kill him a monster? Answer that question and we"ll skip punishment for the way you kicked him."

Daichi looked down, thinking, kicking at the floor like a kid. "I can't," he finally said. "So it's either leave or get neutered." The boy was pale and scared.

Penny hesitantly stepped forward to whisper in his ear. Her voice was too low for anyone else to hear, but Daichi turned a bright crimson-red.

"It'll only hurt until you get back to the hospital," Chizu said softly, feeling the need to be punished herself. She'd hoped that by joining the group she would be able to move on. Mirror had suggested she ask the hospital staff for treatment for her issues and she'd done so. But the group was fracturing and it made her feel sad inside, as if she was bad. "Please stay," she begged. "We need you. Just stop hurting Kako."

Daichi gulped. "And if they can't fix it?"

"They can," Maki told him. "I think."

Daichi shook his head. "This is my manhood you're being so cavalier about here," he cried.

"Just like you were so cavalier about Kako's," Machi replied. She turned to Moji. "Divine this for us, if Daichi accepts punishment does _both_ he and Kako get fully healed. Don't waste juice on doing the two separately. Between choosing a pilot, the Komo issue, deciding about that alternate Earth, and now this you've used more than enough juice for today."

Moji closed his eyes. "Fully healed," he finally replied. "And I also sort of get the feeling that later in life one of them avoids prostate cancer because of this, though I didn't ask that question. It's just a feeling."

"Who does the honors?" Maki asked reluctantly, looking a bit green.

"I do," Machi replied. "You sure?" she asked, looking at Daichi.

The boy nodded, looking like he was going to throw up.

Machi stood still for a long time, not wanting to do it, yet knowing she had to. She _was_ the leader and it was her place to handle this; she'd made the decisions and she'd decided the punishment. It was also her place to carry out the punishment. Taking two steps forward she kicked the shaking boy. Then, as he collapsed to the ground, she turned and threw up. It was three more savage kicks before they were sure both testicles had ruptured and the girl quickly ordered Drop Dead to send the him back to the hospital. Feeling sick, disgusted by what she'd done, she spent the next five minutes crying while Ushiro sat beside her and the others politely looked away.

"Now," Machi said, finally managing to stand. "There's one last punishment to decide."

"Mine?" Komo asked, still violently shaking while her body warmed up. "I was pretty mean to him earlier."

"But you made up with him?" Machi asked. "When you got back you ran and screamed pervert, but that was natural given the situation you were in. You were pretty shocked when he got hurt."

"I guess." The girl looked down, rubbing her arms vigorously. "We talked a lot. He's not a monster."

Machi noded. "The punishment we need to talk about is mine. I let this get out of hand and it almost destroyed the team, assuming there still is a team. While I'm not sure there will be, I do know I failed my responsibilities. What's my punishment? I can't decide since that would be just plain wrong." The clearly frightened girl stared around the room. "Just like with Daichi it can't be too lenient."

"What of mine?" Chizu asked, thinking. "I let Kodama run loose and threaten the team. I was the first weak-link in the chain."

"Honey," Maki said. "You got punished more than enough. There's no way we're adding to it." She looked down. "And I'm sorry about the things I said about you when I was trying to kill Kako. They were out of place. They're not things I believe, just what I said out of frustration and anger." She shook her head, smiling. "He told me I'd never seen the real you, now I know what he meant."

"You felt guilty when you learned that it was Kodama and not him," Chizu said with a casual shrug. "That was the reasonable thing to do. I don't think anyone can fault you on your actions there."

"'We can't," Machi agreed. "Now, what to do about me?"

"I'm sure he would much more appreciate a girl walking around naked than a guy," suggested Kanji who was immediately clobbered by Anko.

"I'm sure he would," Maki agreed. _So would I,_ she silently mused just before Komo smacked her on the head.

"I'm sure he would be happy with the fact you stuck up for him," Kirie told Machi. _Bleh! Who wants to see girls naked,_ he silently muttered, trying to see Moji out of the corner of his eye.

Machi wearily rubbed at her eyes, wondering what to do. She very much doubted any guy would want to see her naked. Not when there were girls like Anko and Maki around. And the idea that Ushiro might look and compare scared the heck out of her. "Hitting, beating?" she suggested. "My failure to enforce rules did result in him being hurt."

"No," Ushiro immediately stated. "I'll kill the guy who hits you."

Machi shrugged. "Then it'll have to be a girl."

"Please, no more hurting each other like that," Chizu said, making it a plea.

"Agreed," Maki said.

Machi sighed. They weren't helping at all. "Suggestions?" she asked again only to be met with silence. _Crud,_ she told herself. _Crud, crud, crud._ With her heart trembling in fear, not daring to meet Ushiro's eyes, the girl's hands reached for her shirt zipper.

"I think that would be unfair to Kako," Chizu said, looking at the girl and how her hands were shaking.

"How so?" Machi asked, all the while silently pleading, _please give me an out, please give me an out._

"He certainly won't be able to enjoy a naked girl for quite some time. By the time he could you'll be back in clothes." Chizu shrugged. "Would be pretty much of a downer for him. You'll just be rewarding the guys like Waku and Moji who were a part of the problem."

"Oh." Machi let her hands drop.

Waku glared at Chizu, then sighed. "I think the fact you were the one who kicked Daichi like that is punishment enough. Let's just go with that, or perhaps a warning."

"Agreed," Maki said, followed a second later by Chizu.

Waku looked down. "I did make a scene earlier when we were supposed to be focused on the fight."

"As did I during the last fight," Maki added.

"Let's just go with more warnings then," Machi said, gladly taking the out she'd been offered. "But next time you'll have to clean a random toilet from one of our rooms with your toothbrush, then use the toothbrush to brush your teeth."

Machi turned the record option on her phone off. "Please see to it he's put back into the loop, and that he gets this," She told Waku, hitting the send button.

"Will do." Waku saluted.

"You know," Maki mused aloud, looking thoughtful, "I do believe that's a spider up there." She pointed.

"What?" Drop Dead screamed, glancing upward fearfully even as he let his body sink lower and lower towards the floor.

Nakama pointed downward, "Now there's one on the floor," she shrieked, sounding truly frightened.

Drop Dead paused in his descent towards the floor, looking fearfully around him. There was, above him, a six-foot black spider casually crawling around on the ceiling. Trembling, poor Drop Dead turned to look downward. There was another spider staring up at him. "Eek." He flashed around the room in circles screaming incoherently.

"Ah snap," Maki said. "You know, it's just my earring creating a shadow. Silly me." She pulled the earring off, placing the small jewelry holo-projector kids used for fun and practical jokes in her pocket.

"They do that?" Nakama asked, pulling her own earring off. The spider on the floor disappeared. The girl eyed the earring, smiling. "And here I thought it was just a cute trinket," she said, sounding totally innocent.

"Damn kids," Drop Dead muttered, wobbling in the air like he was drunk. "Damn damn kids."

"You can bet on these fights?" Chizu suddenly asked, recalling an earlier comment by the strange, ceramic-looking creature.

"They can," Penny informed the girl. "It's just something he's never done before because we keep losing. And a level one that beats a level nine is going to give quite a reward. Nine times what he bet in fact." She looked at Drop Dead. "He's quite happy with that."

"Doesn't that mean you guys have something like money and you can buy stuff?" Anko asked.

Penny shrugged helplessly. "Don't know about buying stuff. From what I've overheard they mainly use it for stuff like status."

"Would a level nine mech beating a level one get one-ninth of what they bet?" Chizu asked.

"Yep. It's based on the level of the mechs. Why?" Penny looked at the girl.

"Just curious about them," Chizu said with a careless shrug. She looked around. "Anyway, might as well get back to the hospital. I'm tired and in pain and I want my wheelchair back." She smiled up at Drop Dead. "Be a sweetie and send us back. I'm sure the nice taxi driver wants some alone time after seeing those big, nasty spiders."

The creature muttered but obeyed and the room was instantly cleared of the troublesome group. "Wait a bloody second," he suddenly exclaimed." Wasn't one of you supposed to die?"

"Give it a rest," Penny told him. "I don't think what you want has much of an impact with them. Interesting kids. Crazy, but interesting." She frowned, wondering how Daichi was doing. While the way he'd kicked Kako had scared her, his willingness to take a punishment like that had her impressed.

* * *

A short while later Maki entered her room, used a brush on her hair, and looked around. Spotting the last of the strange-looking mints that someone had left her she took it, eyes closing in pleasure as she bit it in two. While they looked like drops of blood they tasted like heaven. It was something like a cross between strawberry and raspberry juice with a hint of chocolate in the mix. They were delicious. Taking a deep breath, the girl looked around one more time and left, heading towards Kako's room. She figured there was no way he'd be seeing visitors just yet, but she could ask when and go back at that time. She'd been chicken enough.

* * *

Kodama sat on the beach, trying to ignore the sun that beat down on him. When it'd became obvious that Komo hadn't chosen to join him he'd started playing with the needle, using it to impale some tiny crabs he'd found in a small, tidal pool. They'd died all too quickly, leaving him unsatisfied. _There's nothing like the screams of humans, especially a girl,_ he mused unhappily with a deep, sad sigh as he glanced up at the sun that seemed determined to roast him alive. Briefly he wondered if staking someone out in the sun would be an interesting way to test them, but quickly decided it wasn't. The dehydrated weren't all that good at screaming. _Still, if I gave them water then the sunburn would be exquisitely painful_ , he decided. More hours passed and day turned to night, which turned to light again.

* * *

End of Chapter


	10. Power of Ice

I'm starting to dislike the pairings I went with in this story. 6-7 more chapters after this one if I don't run out of steam. Will be the longest fanfiction I've written, and the least read. Wonder if it's the dark themes (rape&torture) that turned people off, or the fact a lot of it is just slice of life stuff with no really strong plot. Still wondering what to do with Kodama.

 _Definition: Cotard delusion is a rare mental illness in which the affected person holds the delusional belief that they are already dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood or internal organs. Bizarre, huh? The brain is really weird at times. And creepy._

 _Time: Six days later, early morning._

* * *

 _ **Power of Ice**_

Kako laid back in his bed, staring morosely at the ceiling. As ceilings went it was fairly nice, being something any boy of twelve or thirteen might love to drool over at night. It portrayed two very cute girls of around sixteen painting a ceiling all sorts of insane colors. The two were clearly laughing and smiling, getting more than a little of the paint on themselves. It was a bright and cheerful scene. It also didn't hurt that the two girls were topless. _This world sucks,_ the boy mused unhappily. Of the last twelve days all twelve had been spent with various operations on his testicles, leaving little desire to ogle the sight he went to bed to each night. That the scene involved friendship just burned him more. Gritting his teeth the boy closed his eyes, slowly counting to ten. Then he did it again. He opened his eyes still fuming.

"Relax," Cherry said, frowning. "Slow your breathing. If your body isn't in a state of anger then your mind won't be either."

"Right," Kako fumed. It didn't help that the girl who was trying to teach him anger management was a super-cute twenty-something woman. And it sure didn't help that since these people had little modesty his groin area, being the subject of much attention by various doctors, was left uncovered.

"The mind and body communicate," Cherry patiently explained in a somewhat sultry voice. "The mind tells the body what to do, but it also listens to the body. If the body isn't anxious or angered then the mind follows suit. Using that you can control anger."

The boy sighed, then took a slow deep breath trying to imagine he was sitting somewhere safe and peaceful. "Just how am I supposed to pretend I'm somewhere peaceful if I've never been anywhere peaceful?" he asked. "Or anywhere safe for that matter?"

The girl frowned, eyes glancing towards the boy's groin. The way he'd been kicked like that twice in the last two weeks quenched any attempt she might've made to take his words as hyperbole. "Where did you grow up?" she asked,

"In a place where stealing and fighting and backstabbing are second nature," he replied, thinking of school.

Cherry frowned, puzzled by the group of kids she'd been tasked to coach in basic life skills like anger management. _Why wasn't his overactive thyroid looked after before this?_ she wondered of the boy who had a scowl on his face. _And why anger management rather than treating the thyroid itself? And how does a twelve-year-old girl get pregnant? And why was the teacher she talked about allowed to roam free? And why was she allowed to be tortured like that?_ That one really stirred her blood. Then there were the two gay children, Kirie and Maki, both of who were afraid to let others know they were gay. That made no sense either. Kids that age weren't supposed to live in fear. And then there was the fact that Kirie wasn't being treated for obesity. And the very idea that Kodama was still free gave her nightmares - really severe and vivid ones. It was as if these kids all came from the PP, or PrePeace, times.

The girl took a deep breath of her own and stared upward as if she could see through the building and into the sky itself, pondering the changes in her once very stable world. Two weeks ago there'd been three nuclear explosions in a city the World Council had ordered evacuated just weeks prior. At first there'd been outrage over the evacuation but the World Council rarely did anything, usually leaving the city states to their own devices, so people had eventually given then the benefit of the doubt. There hadn't been a conflict for them to moderate in over fifty years and the council was mainly kept around for 'just in case' situations. Still, there'd been loss of life. An orbiting habitat had passed through one of the mushroom clouds, leaving fifteen thousand dead. The rock and debri cast into orbit by the explosions had overwhelmed another habitat along with two research stations. In total forty thousand had died that day. While no one had died on the planet itself, temperatures would be lower for decades.

"Do you want to see your friends?" Cherry asked.

"Friends? What friends?" Kako growled.

"Um. Kirie perhaps?" While he did tend to ogle the exposed genitalia of the boy too much they did seem to be friends. Of all of them, only he had visited Kako during the first six days. It puzzled her that the others didn't while being so friendly towards the Kodama boy who had refused treatment for his delusions. Not that she was sure how to treat something that severe. Usually such conditions involved damage to the brain, but that didn't seem to be the case here. All scans had come back normal.

"I don't want to see them," the boy stated matter-of-factly.

Cherry nodded. Unlike after the first time he was injured, when it seemed as if he'd hoped to have someone visit, this time he'd asked that no one be allowed to. That was natural. After being abused so many times people tended to cut themselves off from the source of the abuse. "I'm pretty sure someone would visit this time if you allowed them to."

Kako took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I would be crazy to do that," he told the girl. "Bad enough I'll have to face them on MEarth. After all, knowing them I'll just end up needing to have this all fixed again."

"Mirth?" Cherry asked. "It was something she'd heard the children mention, but they'd never told anyone what it meant.

* * *

"How's he doing?" Chizu asked when Cherry entered the room. She pressed a button and her bed slowly shifted to become a wheelchair.

"Hm." Cherry stared at the girl with a raised eyebrow.

"I know, I know," Chizu sighed. "You're not allowed to share information between patients like that. But not even an okay, or not okay? I understand. It's not as if I would want you to talk to people about me. Still, . . . ." She shook her head. "I should've went to see him when he was allowing visitors."

"Why didn't you?"

"How do you tell someone you're sorry you killed them? It's not easy you know. And I was embarrassed over what I'd let Kodama do, that I hadn't warned them. This whole situation is my fault."

Cherry cringed, sometimes wondering if there was a language problem. "You obviously didn't kill him," she pointed out.

"I was a factor in it though."

"He's clearly alive," Cherry stated, wondering if she was dealing with some bizarre form of Cotard's delusion, but it didn't really match, nor were there any signs of lesions in the girl's brain. She also expected that the girl was often toying with her in a friendly fashion, letting out hints of things that were true, but unbelievable just to see how she would react. _Then again,_ she recalled, feeling overwhelmed and frightened, _the girl herself had been dead for close to three hours. Though the doctors claimed it had been a very deep coma. I know different. I was holding her hand and felt how cold it was, how it was starting to get stiff from rigor mortis._ She shivered.

"He is now," Chizu agreed. "For which I'm grateful." She used the lemon spray on her throat again.

"If you want you can have Kodama restricted to his room. I know you've had nightmares about him the last few weeks."

"I know, and I want to, but I can't," Chizu answered, frightened eyes involuntarily flickering around as if to see if the boy was anywhere close.

"Why not? Why put up with having him there when you go out to meet your friends. He's doing it just to scare you, you know."

"I know, but bad as that is, sometimes his kind are needed," Chizu said, recalling the shy smile of the girl called Jennifer when she's asked to see what the extra prize was. She closed her eyes and wept inside, wanting to scream at the world. But bad as that had been, she knew it would have been worse if she'd had to pilot that day. Any of them but Kodama might've lost that fight. Ushiro certainly would've.

Cherry shook her head, vigorously disagreeing. "I don't see why."

"The group is fragmented bad enough as it is," Chizu replied. "We can't push Kodama away. If we do who knows what might happen." She looked up at Cherry. "But people aren't hostile towards Kako now, right? They don't talk much about him when I'm in the room, but they also don't act like they want to kill him." She shook her head. "The way Daichi looked when he kicked him was scary. I have nightmares about that too, but then I have an awful lot of nightmares about a lot of things."

Cherry gave it some thought. "I think most of them are ashamed," she finally answered. "At least that's the impression I get when I'm at your _headquarters_."

"Good. I just wish he would let us in to see him. Does he ever look at his phone?"

Cherry frowned, knowing that would break the code of silence she had with regards to her patients.

"He doesn't, does he? Damn."

* * *

"How's the team leader doing?" Cherry asked Waku as she walked into his room.

"Fine," the boy replied, letting his eyes rest just a bit too long on the woman's breasts. He looked away with a tiny sigh, face red.

"Good," Cherry sat down beside him. "What is it with you people and breasts? It's like you've never seen any before you came here."

Waku shrugged. "Turns out I got demoted. Was never team leader, just leader when it came to fighting."

"Fighting?"

"Yeah. You know, where people try to kill each other." In the boy's ears Chizu's words echoed: _For another, you've never sat in that seat knowing the truth. You've never known what it feels like. Even now you don't, so don't think to judge._ He shuddered and closed his arms around himself, feeling terrified. When he'd fought in ZEarth he hadn't known the truth, that he would die, that the world would end if he failed. He'd always thought he was prepared for when his time came to pilot MEarth but now he knew he wasn't. He was scared.

Cherry shook her head. "Is that why Kako has been attacked so much recently? What about Daichi and his injury?

"No. Those are minor squabbles that we let get in the way." Waku sighed, feeling sick. He'd seen the others pilot MEarth and somehow survive, but how could he know he would? He couldn't. And what use was he to someone like Mirror or Sakura? He was supposed to lead the team during a fight but Chizu could do that way better than he could. When it came to strategy and tactics her mind was on a whole different level. And he'd messed up so bad they'd almost all died. What use was he to the team? None. So why should he be saved?

"Neutering someone is just a minor squabble?" Cherry cringed. "You guys play rough."

Waku gave a short, sarcastic laugh. "You don't know half of it. We're by far worst than any mass killer in history. Heck, even what Kodama did to Chizu was peanuts compared to what we've done." Shaking with fear, he buried his head into his arms, wanting to cry. If a girl hadn't been present he knew he would now be sobbing like a little kid.

"I see," Cherry mused, deep in thought. "Seems you kids are under a lot of stress and have deluded yourselves into thinking you're bad. Do you think that might be why you turned against Kako like you did? You wanted, or perhaps needed, someone you could look down on, someone you could feel superior to?"

"Makes sense, I guess," Waku replied not giving it much thought. _What if Sakura only saves those who win?_ he asked himself. _What if I lose?_

* * *

"Morning," Maki greeted Cherry, not taking her eyes from the woman's breasts as she did so. Only after a few seconds did she remember to swallow and not let the drool run down her chin.

"Morning," the woman greeted, trying not to laugh at the girl. While the way she was staring was a bit rude it was better than trying to keep her attraction a secret. Believing something was so wrong about oneself that you had to hide it led to shame and guilt. That could really damage a person. Chizu was proof of that.

"How's Kako doing?" Maki asked, blushing.

"Hm." Cherry stared at the girl with her eyebrows raised.

"Sorry," Maki sighed. "But why doesn't he want visitors?"

"Would you want to see people who'd neutered you twice?"

"No, but . . . ." The girl shrugged. "No, definitely not."

"Tell me, do you believe you've hurt a lot of people?"

Maki froze, breathing becoming ragged as she recalled her battles in ZEarth and MEarth. She'd killed two worlds now by piloting those things. And there was no telling how many she'd crushed to death in ZEarth, while she was sure she'd personally killed several, including one very nice woman, in MEarth. The woman's face haunted her, along with that of Jenny's. "I know I have," the girl finally replied, half sobbing as she did so. "More than a lot. More than anyone could ever hope to count."

"I see," Cherry said, speaking in a comforting tone. "You, like Chizu, believe you're bad. So when you thought Kako had done something horrible you overreacted, needing to find someone who was worse than you?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't think I overreacted. What was done to Chizu isn't forgivable and I certainly wish I could tear Kodama apart. But is that why some of us kept on hating Kako? We wanted to scapegoat him to make ourselves feel better?"

"I believe so." The woman shrugged. "Of course the way you kids beat around the bush makes it hard to come to any conclusion. Who do you believe you were fighting? Who do you believe you hurt?"

"But why would we keep hating him. We were wrong. And why don't they all hate Kodama as much as they did Kako? Why aren't they trying to lynch the one who really did those things?"

"That's the way the human mind works," Cherry explained. "You were all under a lot of stress, all doing something you believe is wrong. Then you found someone you could look down on, someone who was even worse than you believe yourselves to be. That made an imprint on your brains. It also relieved the stress, giving it a focal point where it could be released. The group as a whole didn't react to Kodama in the same way because that stress wasn't quite as bad anymore."

"Oh."

"You managed to switch your hate to Kodama because you knew Kako better than the rest. Once his name was cleared you recalled his good qualities. Even so your hate of Kodama wasn't quite as murderous." The woman smiled. "At least I don't see any of those awful knitting needles in your hands." She shuddered. "I swear, as long as live I will never take up knitting as a hobby. Not after seeing what can be done with one of those things."

Maki nodded. "Me either. And while I know Daichi is a nice guy, I'm scared of him. And Komo is my best friend, but . . . . Now that I know how easy it is for people to turn against each other, to do something like that, I . . . ." She shivered and folded her arms as if it would protect her. "I'm afraid it'll happen again. That I'll make the same mistake, or that I might be the one they turn against. It's scary."

"It is," Cherry agreed.

* * *

Machi walked over to where Waku was plotting new tactics with Chizu. "Any new ideas?" she asked, peering at the computer screen. Being pure white it looked like it was broken.

"A few," Waku said, voice quavering a bit.

"You okay?" Machi leaned over to peer at the boy. His eyes were bloodshot while his skin was rather pale. "What's wrong?"

Waku shrugged. "Nothing." He pointed at the screen. "We don't know where we'll have to fight on other worlds so we're trying to determine how MEarth might win in all sort of areas. Desert, mountain, tundra, and so on. We know we can create a smokescreen in a desert but what if we want to create one elsewhere? Or what if we're overwhelmed and need to flee, then where can we go? Pretty hard to hide something as big as MEarth."

Machi nodded. "I would guess it's impossible," she mused. "Well, other than the ocean. Thank goodness Chizu was around to save us that day. Even Kirie would've been toast with all those nukes going off, and I doubt any of us had even heard of the Japan Trench."

The boy flinched. _I'm not needed,_ he told himself. "Yeah. We would've been toast without her. She's the one who's coming up with all these ideas." _I'm not helping in any way,_ the boy thought miserably, wanting to weep. _I won't be saved.I'm going to die._

"Why is the screen broken? Know who we can ask to fix it?"

"It's not broken," Waku replied. "It's a picture of the Antarctic ice sheet. Chizu was wondering how well MEarth would do there."

"Ah. I would never have thought of that," Machi said, frowning at the screen. "At least it's pretty isolated, so no worries about hurting anyone."

"Yeah," Waku agreed. _Why didn't I think of it,_ he wondered dismally. _What good is a coach without ideas? I'm going to die._

"Guess all's going well," Machi said, smiling happily. "With so long between fights Moji is getting quite a bit of juice back. We're making plans rather than just reacting. And the team seems to be working a bit better of late. I wish Kako would answer his phone though." She looked at the boy. "Did he say anything when you talked to him?"

"Well." Waku looked down, gulping.

"You did talk to him, right?" Machi shook her head and sighed. "Get to work on that, okay?"

"Well, thing is I can't get in to talk to him," Waku explained. "And it seems they took him out of the loop by borrowing his phone and blocking every incoming call, so we can't reach him that way."

Chizu frowned. "So he doesn't know matters were resolved?" she asked.

Waku shook his head. "I've asked Cherry and a few doctors to tell him to fix his phone but it seems he just doesn't want anything to do with us." The boy sighed, looking frustrated. "Weird."

"Yeah, weird he doesn't want to talk to the people who tried to kill him at least three times," Chizu agreed with a nod, wondering if the boy was too dense to get the sarcasm.

"it is," Waku agreed.

Machi frowned. "Well, we'll get to tell him in an hour," she said. "Next fight is coming up so let's prepare."

* * *

Kako frowned when the cockpit of MEarth appeared around him. Coincidentally, the doctors had only remove the belt that had been connected to his groin by several wires and three tubes less than two minutes ago. Also coincidentally, he'd only pulled on a pair of pants, regaining his dignity, less than ten seconds ago. Luckily he was better prepared for this fight, or so he hoped.

"Okay people," Drop Dead started to say.

"Oh shut up, Snotball," Kako grumbled loudly.

"Hey, Kako," Maki said, smiling. The smile faded as she studied the boy.

"Hey, Kako," Daichi said, stepping towards the boy. He paused as well and stepped back.

"Kako," Chizu said, frowning. "We tried to visit you," she added after a pause.

"Not naked today," Drop Dead asked, making his tone as sarcastic as he could.

"Apologize for that," Kako said, "or else."

The ceramic-looking creature gave a loud snort. "Kid, I'm in power here. I'm the boss. If I want to I can make you disappear." The creature knew it was time to face these kids and take back his self-respect, or at least what was left of it.

"Yeah, I'm sure the big B will love that," Kako snorted back.

 _The big B,_ Drop Dead thought, wondering who the kid meant. _Surely he doesn't know about my boss, could he? Nay. it's just a trick._

"Times up," Kako said, grinning demonically. "I bet you just loved these when you were a kid. They're poisonous as hell."

 _A kid?_ Drop Dead mused. _So he knows I was once human. How could he know that unless he does know the big B?_ Then he saw what the boy had pulled from a bag on his shoulder.

Kako pulled the box from the backpack he'd been carrying almost constantly for the last four days. It was then that he'd been allowed from bed and could start working on annoying those who hated him so much. Much as he wanted to just kill them he knew they had a job to do; this world would perish if they all died, so he'd toned his plans down a bit from what he'd dreamt in his daydreams where they all died screaming. In part it'd been Kodama that'd helped keep him sane - there was no way he wanted to be like that guy. Then there were the talks with Cherry.

"What do you have there?" Drop Dead demanded, feeling scared yet secure in the knowledge he could just make whatever it was disappear.

Opening the lid on the container which was around twenty centimeters on a side, Kako tilted it up so the creature could look inside. Drop Dead froze, then flashed upward, smacking into the ceiling with a loud crash. With a not-quite-sane laugh Kako used the chance to twirl around, flinging the contents of the box all over the room. In an instant nearly two thousand black widow spiders went flying into the air, causing screams throughout the room as the girls went crazy trying to brush them off. The boys merely frowned, at least until they realized what sort of spider it was, then they too started screaming and frantically wiping at the black pests.

Drop Dead kept trying to fly upward, wondering why he wasn't getting anywhere. It was a few seconds before he realized he was already at the ceiling and couldn't go any higher. Then, to his dread, the wave of spiders reached him with several actually landing on him. "Argh," he screamed, frantically whirling around, trying to get rid of them. Three of them clung on and in desperation the creature vanished from the room.

"We're dead," Nakama screamed, knowing the spiders were poisonous. She felt them bite and shrieked in panic.

Kako sat down to watch the show, enjoying every minute of it. At least until he saw Chizu frantically brushing at them with her hands moving erratically, not having fully healed yet. Then he felt guilty and didn't quite understand why? They'd tried to kill him four times. _But she did her best to save you,_ his conscience answered. Then there was Kirie who was white as ghost, also frantically clawing at the spiders. The boy was on the ground, rolling around to crush them. _He fought Moji during that first fight,_ Kako recalled. _He's no fighter yet he kept the guy busy. I would've been overwhelmed if he hadn't helped._ The guilt collided with the anger to battle it out, finally resulting in the guilt winning by a very small margin. The guilt then became a nova that burst through him, crushing him with its power, when Maki stopped thrashing around and turned to look at him. "I'm sorry," she said, no longer brushing at the spiders, knowing she was dead.

Unable to face her he turned to see Daichi pawing at Penny rather than trying to save himself. Ushiro was doing the same with Machi. He shook his head and sighed. "Guess Drop Dead won't forget this day, huh?" he shouted.

"You killed us," Waku said, looking unsteady on his feet.

"Nay. They're something used to teach kids here about spiders, but their venom isn't poisonous and they can't reproduce," Kako replied, wondering if they would rush him again. He kept his hand near the backpack, unsure of what to do.

"Bastard," Moji said, rising from the floor. Then he ruefully shook his head, grinning.

"Stings," Nakama said, face also white. She sat down in a chair, keeping her feet off the floor while she scratched at a dozen bite marks.

"They were modified so they produced some sort of itching compound," Kako answered. "Annoying but not dangerous."

"Oh." The girl kept scratching. Then she grinned. _He actually scared Drop Dead out of the room,_ she gloated. _I like this guy._ She stood up. "Okay, I want every guy in this room looking that way." She pointed. "Anyone who looks gets neutered." She paused. "But since I did laugh at the way you were naked last time, and since you did scare Drop Dead away, you can watch." She nodded at Kako.

"Watch what . . . ." The boy went silent. turning a bright red, yet he did just that, watch.

Nakama stripped off her shirt which she vigorously flapped around to get rid of all the spiders. Then she did the same with her pants, though her underwear she kept on. After running her hands through her hair and wiping her body with her shirt to make sure she herself was free of the pests she put her clothes back on. _Sure,_ the red-faced girl mused, _it's not quite as much as we saw of him, but still he did see me topless. it lets him know I don't hate him._ Then careful of where she stepped, the girl made her way over to Chizu to help her.

Thinking, with a daredevil shrug, Maki followed suit, as did Komo, both blushing. They'd both been to the beach on this Earth and had been seen by countless boys and men, but this was different. Both free of the spiders, faces the color of beets, hurried over to help Nakama with Chizu.

* * *

"So now what?" Kako asked five minutes later when everyone was curled up in a chair, careful to keep their feet off the floor. To his disappointment none of the other girls had put on a show.

Maki stood to approach the boy who, to her shock, took a step back. Wanting to get angry given the way she'd just stripped for him, the girl swallowed and counted to ten. "Mind if I see your phone?" she asked, giving him a small but friendly smile. "Some idiots decided to mess around with it. The last time we were here we had a little meeting about what was going on. We struck a deal."

"Oh." Kako handed over his phone, not sure how to react. Maki had blurted out a secret and tried to kill him twice. But the last time they'd been here, after she'd learned the truth, she'd been one of the ones to defend him.

"Here." She handed the phone back. "Watch the video called meeting_1. It's a record of the entire thing." Waiting, she watched the boy as he watched the video, noting how his eyes flickered around as he did so, never letting his guard down. It was the actions of someone who believed he was in enemy territory.

"So I'm supposed to scrub a toilet with my toothbrush, then brush my teeth?" Kako finally asked, not liking the idea one bit.

"Since Waku was supposed to tell you ages ago about this I think we'll let him do that," Machi replied, giving a tiny sigh of relief. "But from now on, we don't fight amongst ourselves. At least not when we're here. Agreed."

Kako nodded. "Agreed."

Maki felt the tension around the room ease somewhat and she too gave a tiny sigh of relief. She didn't want to know what other tricks he had in that bag. The spiders had been bad enough.

Kako stared over towards Chizu and Kirie, wanting to just run away. But, finally, he walked over to them. "Sorry," he said, speaking to both of them. "I was so focused on hurting them that I forgot I would hurt you two as well. I'm sorry."

Chizu watched the thousand plus spiders that were crawling over the floor, wanting to scream and run in any direction that got her away from them. "If this is the thanks I get, next time I'll just let you die," the girl replied.

Kako cringed.

"So don't let there be a next time, please."

The boy sighed, feeling the need to glance around to make sure no one was behind him, that he wasn't about to be stabbed. "I didn't want there to be a _this_ time," he finally answered softly. "I might hate MEarth and what we got to do, but I did like being able to get up in the morning without expecting to be bullied or bullying anyone. It was nice." He shrugged. "Too bad it's over."

Now it was Chizu's turn to cringe. "But things are fixed now, right?"

"No," Maki answered for the boy. "I'm still scared of Daichi when I think of the way he kicked Kako." She rubbed her arms, shivering.

"Oh." Daichi gulped and looked at the floor.

"Given practically the entire gang tried to hunt him down, I'm not sure he'll ever trust us again," Maki added. "We've made peace, but what we had before was friendship."

Chizu nodded, understanding. "Guess it's our good luck we might not be around much longer to mope around then," she said, pointing.

The team turned to look. On the screen they saw a mech that looked a lot like a spider with eight legs. Four were used for moving while four more seemed to carry weapons. Its armor was obviously heavy and thick, looking to be nearly a near perfect, shimmering black the whole group knew it was going to freak Drop Dead out, assuming he came back.

"I'm betting in addition to those four arms it can spin webs to tie us up," Moji said. "I just know it."

"What a coincidence," Nakama said, still keeping her feet off the floor."

Kako looked at Machi. "If he isn't here you might have some control over this thing. Try bringing him back."

"Do we want him back?" Machi asked, sounding doubtful.

"I want to see him freaking out," Nakama said. "Call me vicious that way."

Drop Dead, not needing air, was three feet under water in the Pacific ocean. He knew he had to return to the mech but the mere thought made him shudder. The traumatized creature was frenetically pushing his mind to its limits, seeking an excuse, any excuse, not to return when the water faded away and he was back in that dreaded place of spiders. "Argh," he screamed, immediately returning to the water. _No, no, no, no, . . . ._ the overwrought creature mentally screamed when the cockpit once again reappeared around him.

"Welcome back," Nakama calmly told the shivering creature, munching on a bar.

Looking around, Drop Dead realized the kids were all still alive despite most of them sporting a dozen or so bites from the deadly spiders. _They can't be human,_ his distraught mind told him, bordering on a nervous breakdown. _They should be dead. And who taught them how to move objects like that? Penny isn't a pilot so it wasn't her._ He came to the only conclusion he could. _They weren't human, they'd piloted before, and that meant they came from higher up the ladder. They were here to make sure things were going well. If they didn't then he was . . . ._

"See that particular large mass of itsy bitsy spiders?" Kako asked, wondering if the bar Daichi had passed him was poisoned.

The ceramic looking creature turned to stare where the boy was pointing.

"Imagine sitting there, then poof, you're human," Kako said with a deranged smile.

Drop Dead tried to gulp.

"So, what level is that?" Moji asked, pointing at the enemy mech that was very patiently staring back.

"Eleven," Drop Dead immediately replied, wondering if he should use 'sir' with these kids. He floated as close as he could to the ceiling, unable to take his eyes from the black mass of spiders just feet below.

"Who's the pilot," Waku managed to gasp out. _Not me, please, not me, . . . ._ His distraught mind frantically repeated the words over and over.

Moji's finger rose to point at the terrified boy. "Sorry, but it seems we need you here." Moji gave Waku an apologetic smile, sensing something was wrong. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Heck, we've even beat a level fifteen before."

 _I can't beat that,_ Waku told himself as he walked to the pilot's chair. _That means I won't be saved._ Sitting down he felt his heart race faster than it ever had before. _I'm going to die. I'm dead._

"Do we talk to these guys?" Chizu asked, looking around.

Maki looked at the black mass scurrying around on the floor in a thousand different directions. "I sort of want to get this over with," she stated with just a tremor or two. "But I guess it would be impolite not to say hi to the people who're going to kill us."

"Any divinations I should be trying?" Moji asked. "I think the heavy armor and heavy weapons part are pretty obvious."

* * *

"No idea," Chizu replied when Waku remained silent. "Open the screen Snotty," she ordered Drop Dead who obeyed without question.

"Hi," Chizu told the woman who appeared on the screen. On either side of the woman were two naked men. All four of the men wore a ton of BDSM type jewelry on bodies that were also liberally adorned with scars. The woman herself was dressed in ordinary clothes that consisted of a knee-length, red skirt and a red top. On her right hip, in a holder of some sort, there rested a whip. Three tiny daggers were sheathed on her left hip.

"Why does your mech have no weapons?"

Chizu swallowed, feeling queasy as she tried not to eye the men. It wasn't the fact they were naked that bother her, but rather the scars that covered them from head to toe. One set of scars, which encompassed the entire stomach of one of the men, looked like the doodlings of a child, just carved in flesh instead of a school desk. Time and a growth spurt had stretched it into a grotesque parody of the original drawing. One man had a smiley face on the tip of his penis. It looked like a brand that'd been created by burning hot metal. The girl swallowed again, realizing these men had been used as toys much as she herself had been. Around her there was silence as even the girls were too shocked to giggle or look at the men for the sake of a cheap sexual thrill.

"Why are are those boys wearing clothes?" The strange woman wondered aloud. "And why haven't any of you branded them yet." She curled up her lips, shaking her head in contempt. "Don't tell me you think men are human? That's disgusting."

"Is torture common on your world?" Moji asked, nodding at one of the men.

The woman ignored the boy, finding him an animal too far beneath her to even acknowledge. "Is mine the only world where women have gained their rightful place?" she asked, looking at Chizu.

"I hope so," was all the girl managed to say, unable to take her eyes from the men.

"Hrmph," the woman snorted, still looking through the cockpit. "And a mech without a single weapon? What a laugh. I think I'll toy with you a bit before I finish you off.

Chizu casually shrugged. "It's like you say, we're a mech with no weapons, so shoot away." Behind her, her finger rapidly tapped on her cell phone.

"You want to die?" the woman asked, looking puzzled. "All the ones I've fought before were pathetic and weak, yet they did at least try to fight back." Her eyes continued to gaze at her enemies, wondering what she was missing. "Why would a mech have no weapons?" she asked, speaking to herself.

"It's a trap," Maki suddenly shrieked. She was instantly mobbed by Kanji and Ushiro who savagely tore her from her seat. Kanji grabbed the girl's hair to then brutally, and without mercy, pummel her head onto the floor. What looked like blood poured from her mouth.

"Beasts," the strange woman roared with a sudden and intense fury. "How dare you subhuman, worthless, pieces of filth touch a girl in such a way. I will rip out your liver and feast on it." She stopped, panting hard with outrage.

Kodama stood from his seat, loudly crunching spiders by the dozens as he walked over to the screen to casually study the woman. In his eyes was the unchecked desire to make the woman scream. A hand rose to point. "A sharp steel rod can be pushed all the way through a woman's body here." Nonchalantly, the deranged boy licked the drool from his lips, smiling with depraved excitement. "Unlike these useless cows you have breasts," the boy continued with a small laugh that caused the woman to take a step back. "Now those would be fun to play with. I could shove as many rods as I want through them, in every which direction, and it wouldn't kill you." The boy tilted his head as if listening to music. "The screams though, the screams would be wonderful. It would be a song worthy to offer to the chosen."

"You're insane," the woman retorted, face white from shock.

"Would you mind taking your clothes off," Kodama asked pleasantly. "I want to see the canvass on which I am to draw. You see, it's the drawing which produces the screams, and it's the screams which I will carry with me forever as your worship of the one true and perfect God. You should be honored."

"Gaaa. . . ." The woman took another step back. Her eyes flickered to the unconscious girl behind the insane beast, unable to fathom how a lowly creature like a man could hit a woman.

Maki suddenly wrenched free of Ushiro's grip, biting down hard on his hand, bringing forth a spurt of blood. "It's the wire," she frantically screamed. "It blows up if you shoot . . . ." A powerful kick from Kanji sent the girl sliding across the floor, squashing black window spiders by the dozens. She remained there, still and unmoving, sprinkled with the corpses of a hundred spiders. Blood bubbled on the girl's lips as the spiders that still lived slowly covered her in a dark blanket from which no movement came. Then the bubbling of the blood stopped.

"Monsters," the woman gasped, eyes flickering between Kodama and the now dead girl. "Monsters."

"Stupid bitch," Chizu coldly muttered. "If she was so eager to die she could've left the rest of us out of it." The girl sighed, looking furious with her eyes blazing. "I guess the cat's out of the bag, huh?" She gave the woman a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "See, It is a trap, just as that dead bitch said. Any energy weapon that touches those wires powers a hyperdimensional quantum transfer of this cockpit to another reality. The resulting explosion is powerful enough to . . . ." Chizu gave a dark laugh. "Let's just say it's all theory since no one has ever survived to measure it." She shrugged. "Damn cunt. We took out seven enemy mechs with that too. Even a level fifteen." She turned her wrathful gaze towards Drop Dead who quivered in fear. "Isn't that right, Snotball? We took out a level fifteen mech with this thing."

Drop Dead quavered, trembling in the air. "Y-ye-yes," he managed to stutter.

Kodama started speaking again, hand lifting once more to point. "Too bad your world will just disappear. Such a waste. I would love to play with such stupid toys as yourself." He smiled at the woman who took another step back. "The neck is such a fine place to work with. The origin of screams one doesn't want to damage it too badly, but this place here has an opening for another steel rod. Done just right it will rest against the vocal cords, adding a most delightful tone to the screams."

The screen went vanished.

* * *

"Maki," Chizu yelped, turning to stare in horror at the girl. "Someone help her."

Maki sat up, screaming, "Get them off me, get them off me." The panic girl thrashed violently on the ground. Frantic and terrified, she started to rip her clothes off.

Penny, freed from Daichi's grasp shot over to the girl.

"No looking," Komo yelled, "I'll neuter the bastard who does."

Kako, definitely not wanting to be neutered again, stared at the mech on the screen, wondering how long it would be before it marched on them. Behind him he heard Maki still whimpering, bordering on breaking down. Shrugging, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it behind him. "Here," he called out. "I doubt she'll want to wear a shirt covered in bug guts. Get someone else's for something she can tie around her waist."

"I wonder if she bought it," Chizu murmured, listening to Maki sob behind her.

"I did," Kako replied, "and I know it was all just an act." Resisting the urge to look behind him, he shook his head in awe. "A little red syrup, some ice cream, and wow, a first-class performance put together in minutes."

"Just remember, it wasn't all an act," Ushiro muttered, holding up his hand which was still bleeding.

"Yeah, but Maki had to keep still while those bugs covered her," Kako countered. "That took guts."

"True," Ushiro admitted. "That was creepy to watch. I would've broke down as soon as the first one crawled in my mouth or up my nose." He shuddered

"Even if she didn't buy it," Moji said, "she can't afford to put it to the test." The urge to look behind to peek was overwhelming.

"Look and I'll set you up on a date with Kodama," Chizu hissed. "Just think, a penis has no vital organs so he'll be able to use all the needles he wants on it."

Moji froze with his eyes immediately returning to the enemy mech. "I wasn't," he lied.

"Sure," Chizu said. "North, south, east, or west. Which way is the best to run to find a place to take care of that thing?" She nodded at the screen.

Moji frowned. "There are no good directions," he replied, looking out at the unending, desolate white expanse they stood on. "I wonder where we are."

"Antarctic," Chizu immediately replied.

"How do you know?"

"By how the sun is moving," Chizu answered. "It's not going to drop below the horizon so we're pretty far south."

"Oh." Moji stared at the girl, shaking his head in wonder.

"It will be a day without a night. If we were at the North Pole it would be dark all day," Chizu added, peering up at the sky. "If we weren't going to die here it would be pretty interesting to watch."

"Where did you learn all that?"

The girl shrugged, "I think we covered the day/night cycle in grade five."

"Oh." Moji gulped and looked away.

Chizu smiled. "All we need to know is we're not likely to see anything but ice during this trip. We're a thousand kilometers from anything but ice."

"So, what do we do?" Kako asked. "We can't fight that thing head-on. Run for the ocean?"

Chizu shrugged helplessly. "I wish this thing had weapons."

"Don't we all," Kako and Ushiro muttered together.

"Ta-dah," Komo announced to the group. "The newest fashion from the crazy kids of MEarth."

"Don't look," Maki growled.

Kako turning to look at the girl, swallowed when he saw her. "Nice," he commented, echoing what every guy was thinking.

"Bleh," Maki retorted. Dressed in a shirt from one guy, with another shirt wrapped around her waist, she knew she had to be a mess. Then she realized the gazes were all at her legs. "Stop staring," she shrieked, blushing a bright red.

"What's the latest on crazy woman over there?" Komo asked. "Why is she waiting so long?"

Chizu shrugged. "No clue." She turned to glance back at Waku who'd been way too quiet, frowning when she saw the boy was pale and trembling. "Are you all right?"

Waku gave her a smile. "Fine." _I'm going to die,_ he told himself. _All those people at the hospital, they're going to die because of me, and so are their friends._ He clasped his trembling hands onto the armrests of his chair. _They all agree I can't win against this. No ideas, no plans. I'm going to die._

Chizu frowned but turned away, not knowing what to do.

"We don't improve our chances by running, so . . . ." Kako started.

The spider mech couldn't shoot webs but it did send out a spray of fluid that coated MEarth, taking Waku and the others by surprise. Frantically Waku tried to order the mech to flee, falling into a blind panic when it failed.

"MEarth isn't moving," he shouted.

"Glue," Chizu said, heart racing. "Try twisting."

Dripping what looked like white venom from its fangs, the enemy quickly scurried along the ground, closing the distance to MEarth in two seconds. Too afraid to use her energy weapons, the enemy pilot attacked only with the spider's two front walking legs, leaving the four legs with the heavy energy weapons idle. Even so, it was enough to swiftly cut into MEarth's wire covering and cause the mech to bounce a little.

"Not working," Waku screeched. "It's not working. What do I do?"

"Calm down," Maki ordered. "Panicking won't help."

"I'm sorry," the boy sobbed. "I'm sorry. We're not going to make it this time and it's my fault."

Chizu frowned, eyeing the rate at which MEarth was being stripped of its wire coating. Even with just two legs working the enemy was rapidly reducing the wire on the mech, leaving them with seconds to either react or die. _And she's just playing with us,_ the girl fumed. _There's already enough of an opening for her to crush the cockpit. Evil bitch._ Struggling to think of an idea and failing she sat watching with the rest.

"No, no," Waku cried, ceasing to struggle at all.

Rising from her seat, hobbling towards the boy, Chizu knelt beside him, leaning down to whisper in his ear. Frightened herself, used to more noise in the room, she spoke a little too loud. "Waku, calm down. You can do this, but you need to stop panicking." Then, taking a deep breath, unsure of what else to do, she added, "Win and I'll have sex with you."

Waku blinked, not sure if he'd heard it right, but his attention was now focused entirely on the girl.

"Calm down, twist MEarth around like you were going to create a smokescreen, then when we're free run like hell," Chizu commanded, giving the boy a comforting smile. Knowing she'd spoke a bit too loud, the girl was painfully aware of the stares she received as she hobbled back to her chair. _What else was I supposed to do?_ she asked herself, wanting to cry. _it was all I could think of._ Looking at Kako from the corner of her eye she knew that he, like everyone else, had heard as well. There was a serious frown on the boy's face while his fingers were trying to rip the armrest of his chair apart like he had claws. Then they broke free and MEarth was sent racing over the icy wasteland at more than a thousand kilometers per hour, leaving the enemy mech behind.

 _I had to do it,_ Chizu told herself again, trying hard to convince the only person that ytuly mattered, herself. _No,_ the girl countered, _you didn't. You didn't have to go that far. Hell, even offering a kiss would've snapped him out of it._ "Frig," she whispered with tears in her eyes, knowing it was true.

* * *

While free from the glue, or web, whichever it had been, they still had no idea how to defeat the relentless spider that now tracked their every move. Hours passed while MEarth ran in a large circle more than a thousand kilometers in diameter, always keeping a safe distance from their foe. In the near-featureless wasteland there were no tricks they could think of. There was always the Japan Trench again, but they had no idea how to get there. Nor did they know how to get to Death Valley or any other place of use. Time passed with the sun moving in a strange pattern as they fled with no goal in sight.

Waku's hands still trembled, but thoughts of the deal Chizu had made with him balanced the fear with raw lust. For the prize he had to at least try, so glancing between the enemy mech and the girl he strove to find a way to defeat the beast that endlessly hunted them through the dreary and empty landscape.

Chizu sat, racking her brains for some method to defeat a six-hundred-meter long spider, all the while acutely aware of how Waku would at times glance from the screen to ogle her, obviously stripping her bare in his mind. It wasn't a nice feeling and it ruthlessly drove home the devil's bargain she'd made. If it'd been necessary she would've done it again in an instant, but it hadn't been and it burned her to know that. Engulfed in her shame her brilliant mind struggled to stay focused on the problem of the enemy mech. _I'm a bad girl,_ she continuously told herself without mercy or compassion,

Kako often found himself staring at Waku, watching how the boy would turn from the screen to gawk at Chizu. Inside it provoked a rage that threatened to consume all restraint, compelling him to recall in vivid detail every grudge he had against the boy. Then, not satisfied with those, his mind created imagined ones. Fists clenching and unclenching he let the hate roam free as he dreamt of hitting the boy again and again until . . . . _Until what?_ Kako asked himself. _Until he's dead?_ It brought the boy's internal diatribe to a halt. Frowning, he let his eyes traverse the room, studying his teammates.

Gulping, the boy's eyes froze, settling on Maki who was sleeping across from him. Hours had passed, and she'd been traumatized by the spiders, so obvious she wanted to rest. But her outfit didn't lend itself to modesty, and with the need to keep her feet off the floor the girl was giving him more of a view than she intended. Heart racing, he kept his eyes on the girl's legs, trying to erase the shadows that hid . . . . _Is this how a friend behaves?_ Kako asked himself. _Are you friends?_ a voice countered, bringing to mind the hundred plus holes the girl had put in him. For that the boy had no counter until he recalled the way she'd stripped, allowing him to see more than she had to when she'd removed the spiders from her clothes. _It was an apology,_ he realized, _one I liked._

Frowning, Kako let his eyes again drift around the room, looking at the people he shared the cockpit with. They were tired and traumatized, knowing they were going to die. And he knew the thoughts of each one, _Will Sakura save us if we fail?_ With a tired sigh he brought his eyes back to Waku, seeing not the boy who was lusting after the girl that he, Kako, liked, but himself when he'd first learned the fate of those who piloted ZEarth. The fear, the agony of knowing you were going to die and the desperate need not to be alone, to have someone's hand to hold. While he fervently disagreed with the deal Chizu had made with the boy, there could be no faulting the boy for his very natural reactions. Even if the situation hadn't been so dire any boy would have jumped at the offer.

 _Frig,_ Kako silently muttered. _What do I do if I can't hate him for it?_ He turned to glance at Chizu, only to gasp at the lost look on the girl's face. _She doesn't want to,_ the shocked boy realized with the darkness in his heart easing. _She made it in desperation to save us, to save billions of people, but even so she regrets it. To her it's a sacrifice._ The boy gulped, and while he wished with all his soul that it was him in the pilot's seat, he let the resentment he had against Waku fade. Once more his eyes roamed across the room, and as he saw each of his teammates he tried to understand things from their point of view, finding that it was all too easy. At least until he came to Kodama.

A movement caught the boy's eye and he looked, only to turn red. Maki's legs had shifted and now he was even closer to being able to see everything. But, with a protesting sigh, he looked away, reaching for his phone. When the girl refused to wake up despite the vibration of her cell phone, he sent a text to Komo who was wide awake. ' _While I like the view, and I mean I really really like the view, I think Maki might find it a tad bit embarrassing,'_ the message read _._ Upon reading the message Komo's face turned white and she vigorously shook her friend.

Now knowing that virtue was _not_ its own reward, Kako glanced at Kodama again, not really wanting to know what made him tick. That he could understand the rest and let his resentment fade was enough. Disgusted, he watched as the demented boy flipped a spider over on its back, rendering it unable to move. Then, with a slight smile he proceeded to slowly dismember it, starting with the legs.

Kako looked away, not wanting to see the cruel actions. He could all too easily imagine it was Chizu held down like that while . . . . He gulped, turning green as he tried to force the vile image from his mind. It stubbornly refused to leave, and the need to throw up started to overwhelm him. _Monster,_ Kako fumed, realizing it was the way the others had thought of him for a while. Then his eyes flickered again to the butcher and the spider, zeroing in on the spider.

Chizu jumped when Kako tapped her on the shoulder, interrupting the vicious, self-loathing rant that ran through her head.

"I'm sorry to bring back bad memories, but what do you think?" Kako asked, pointing to Kodama. "Any way you can come up with a plot using that?"

Chizu frowned, cringing in sympathy for the poor spider. _Does he want me to watch to punish me?_ The distraught girl wondered. _Does he hate me because I offered Waku what I denied him? I'm a bad girl._ Then her teary eyes flickered when Kodama flipped over another spider. "I wonder," she answered, mind focusing on the problem.

The girl turned to Moji with a renewed purpose. "If north, south, east, and west are not good directions," she asked, "is down?"

Moji looked up, startled by the question. The cockpit had long grown quiet as each of them lost hope. It wasn't that they'd given up, just that they had nothing of use to say. "Down?" the boy asked, puzzled.

"Yeah. Down," Chizu said, heart racing as her mind plotted.

Moji shrugged and passed the question onto his divination ability. His eyes abruptly opened to bore into those of Chizu. "It says it's a very good direction."

Chizu nodded. "Down it is then." She paused, turning to look at Kako who was sitting with his eyes closed, breathing in a very controlled manner that puzzled her. Glancing around the room, she leaned close to the boy, careful this time to whisper. "Are you okay with this?"

"Course not," Kako hissed. "But I don't have a say in it, do I?"

"I panicked," Chizu explained, needing the boy to understand. "I wish I could take it back but I can't. I'm sorry." She glanced over at Waku. "If I were to wait he would run out of energy. It would be fine then."

"And what if only one person gets revived per fight? The second one would die," Kako replied in a hiss. " And according to Moji he's the best pilot for this. We might not win with anyone else piloting."

"Oh. I didn't think of that." Chizu gulped,

"A bunch of friends and a world to save, remember." The boy forced a smile as he looked at girl, trying not to imagine her in the arms of Waku.

"Right," Chizu replied, turning back to the team. "Okay people, you can thank Kako for this plan, so no more trying to kill him." She forced a smile of her own as everyone turned towards her with hopeful eyes

"How's down a good direction?" Moji asked. "We can't go down, can we?"

"Why not?" Chizu countered. "We just hold MEarth in one place and spin, just like we're a big drill. We must weigh like a billion tons, so we'll drill straight down."

"They'll follow us," Waku replied, eyes still flickering between the enemy mech and Chizu. "And we won't be able to run. We'll be stuck in the hole too. They'll just shoot us."

"We won't be," Chizu replied, shaking her head. She turned to Daichi. "How much grub you have there?"

"I packed quite a bit. Enough to last us all a full day."

"Ration it. This is going to take a while." The girl, now sure of herself, radiating confidence, turned back towards Waku. "Put some distance between us. We'll need an hour or two head start with the drilling. Head for the coast." She frowned, trying to recall what she knew of the Antarctic and its geography. "We need a place where the ice is at least three kilometers thick that's around thirty kilometers from the coast."

"Where do we find ice that thick?" Waku asked, almost whining. "Is there even any ice in the world that thicK?"

Chizu grinned. "Try close to five kilometers in some spots."

For a second the boy paused, staring as his mind tried, and failed, to comprehend ice that thick. "Oh," he gulped. "That's thick."

Still terrified, but with a twinge of hope in his heart, Waku set MEarth rolling across the Antarctic wasteland, now rapidly outpacing their enemy. Coming close to the coast he asked, "Here?"

"Give it a try,"Chizu replied, radiating a know-it-all facade, wondering if there was way any way they could measure the thickness of the ice. Failing to come up with a method the girl shrugged, hoping for the best. If it was too thin or too thick, then chances were they would probably die. "Rotate as fast as possible so the snow is thrown out of the hole," she commanded.

"Aye Sir," Waku replied, needing another glance at the girl who was calmly sitting with her left hand on her stomach to fortify his resolve. Then he set the great mech to spinning on the great Antarctic ice sheet with its wire frame carving deep into the ice. Slow at first it quickly built up speed, sending a spray of ice chips and snow shooting up in a massive two kilometer-high plume. Friction built up and soon the heat started to melt the ice, adding water to the mix. For a while it seemed there might be trouble as the water lubricated the hole, making it difficult to keep the mech spinning, but MEarth's great weight pressed down, keeping its wire edges boring downward.

"Even if we manage to flip that thing," Maki said, careful to keep her legs closed, "won't it just tip itself over again? Spiders can do that."

"Won't matter," Chizu replied, eyes on the screen. "It will be trapped." _Or at least I hope it will be,_ the nervous girl added in a low mutter. She watched as the mech sunk lower into the ice sheet and the plume they sent upward narrowed, having to first pass through the hole they'd drilled. Then the plume faded out of existence as MEarth cease to be able to force the ice, and snow, and water up far enough for it to escape the hole. What it dug up now it pushed upward, compressing it into a roof. Still the mech sunk lower and lower.

"Faster, if you can," Chizu ordered. "Want to hit bottom as fast as possible."

Waku nodded with the mantra, _I'm going to die, I'm going to have sex,_ passing through his mind. Both the fear and lust drove him to keep MEarth spinning like a top as it descended through the ice sheet. Then the mech shook, bouncing a little as it hit bedrock.

"Now head towards the coast," Chizu said relieved that the ice had been, as far as she could guess, just a little under three kilometers thick. A little more might have been better, but it wasn't as if they had a choice in the matter. "Hurry," she urged, looking towards Waku.

"Um." The boy looked around, confused. "Just which way is the coast?" he asked.

Chizu pointed. "That way, I think." The uncertain girl gulped and added, "I hope."

Waku grimly nodded and sent MEarth rolling in the suggested direction. The machine now bored a horizontal path towards the coast, clearing out the ice in front to send it hurtling behind, filling in the tunnel it dug. An hour passed and they broke out into the open, causing the entire gang to erupt in a loud, optimistic roar of encouragement and cheering.

"Good work," Moji cheered at the boy, wishing he was in the driver's seat. He too had been making frequent glances towards Chizu, fantasizing about the deal she'd made. He figured Kanji was as well, but being hit over the head by Anko had stopped the boy from looking quite a while back. _Strange kid,_ he then mused, watching Kirie for a few seconds. The boy had made more than a few looks towards Kako since Chizu had made the deal, all of which had been thickly laced with worry. Moji turned to peer at Kako, wondering what about him was distressing Kirie so much. The boy was sitting with his eyes closed, taking slow deep breaths while his hands seemed to rest gently on the armrests of his chair. As if sensing the stare Kako's eyes flickered open, focusing in on Moji's. _Crap,_ Moji silently gasped, unable to breathe as the fervent intensity within those eyes seemed to leap across the all-too-short distance to strangle him. He quickly looked away, staring down at his sneakers. _Let's not make trouble for the guy today,_ he gulped. _Or ever again._ He wasn't even sure what emotions he'd seen in those eyes, just that he didn't want to provoke its owner to rage.

Kako took another deep breath, trying to put to use the relaxation techniques Cherry had taught him. Or at least try to. He no longer hated Waku, or resented the rest, but the intensity of his emotions still burned within him, frightening him. Loneliness, regret, fear, . . . . He wasn't sure what the rest were. Then his eyes flickered towards Waku whose head was starting to tip forward. Then the boy slipped from his chair. _Yes,_ Kako silently screamed, knowing what he was feeling now, relief and joy. And maybe a bit of fear. There was no telling if two pilots could be revived, or even if one of them would be on this trip.

"Our hero has fallen," he said, standing with an exaggerated smile. "Now it seems to stave off the specter of death he will need a true and pure kiss." The boy's joy-filled eyes darted around the room, casting spears any who might dare challenge him. Not a single one of them moved, except for Drop Dead who decided quite rationally to put some more distance between them.

"Who shall it be?" Kako asked, grinning at Moji. "We know you shared a passionate embrace with him, and you do seem to get along quite well together." His eyes peered into those of Moji, inviting him to be the chosen one.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it more from a girl?" Moji managed to gasp out.

"I see," Kako solemnly mused with a nod, "you're not the type who's into long term relationships. That's quite okay. We're all kids here, so we got plenty of time." _I hope,_ he added, fearfully looking down at Waku. "Any other takers?" he asked, looking around the room again.

"Guess I should . . . ." Chizu said, starting to stand.

"Given his relationship with Moji I'm sure he's the type to want a guy to do the honors," Kako said firmly. "Given his bravery I say we honor him with that desire." He took a deep breath. "And since no one else will do it, I guess it's up to me." He glared around at the others. "But next time it's someone else's turn. I've already kissed two guys and that's my limit." Red faced, the boy knelt beside the unmoving form of his companion. _Please work,_ he silently begged. All too aware of the others watching he pressed his lips firmly against those of Waku.

Waku's eyes fluttered open, while in his mind his mantra still quietly repeated itself. _I'm going to die, I'm going to have sex._ His eyes focused on those of Kako's whose lips were still firmly pressed against his. _I already died, I'm not going to have sex,_ the boy soundlessly sobbed, wanting to cry as he realized his lucky kiss of life was from none other than Kako. His mantra quickly became, _I need mouthwash, I need a toothbrush._

Without a word Kako took the pilot's seat. His eyes, filled with sadness, flickered towards Chizu.

"The deal isn't transferable," the girl said, quickly uttering the words with a firmness that shook her.

"I know," Kako replied with a shrug. "It's not why I took the seat."

Chizu's eyes flickered as she suddenly recalled the boy's words: _And what if only one person gets revived per fight? The second one would die._ Oh, she gulped, noticing the way Kako's sat in the chair, clearly frightened. "But win and I'll be the one to kiss you," she added, watching as the boy's eyes lit up. "Now get to work," she told him, giving him an encouraging smile.

Kako nodded, feeling lighthearted despite the risk. Once again, with a new pilot at the helm, MEarth rolled into life, quickly heading back to where it'd dug the massive hole into the Antarctic ice sheet. "Just fill it in, right?" the boy asked.

"Right."

A desolate Waku watched the new pilot with resentment. _So close,_ the angry boy fumed. _So close._ Seeing the way Kako expertly send MEarth rolling over the ice he frowned. "Why was I the best choice for a pilot?" he asked. "Any one of you would've done just as well."

There was a series of shrugs until Kako answered, "You've done a lot of ice skating, haven't you?"

Waku nodded. "But so what?"

"I doubt many of us have ever skated," Chizu said, speaking for Kako. "MEarth moves different when it's on ice, and you best knew how to adapt to it." She shrugged. "We're okay now because we've spent almost a full day watching you, but even so I doubt anyone else could've dug that hole. At least not so fast."

"I know I couldn't," Kako admitted.

"Oh," Waku said, sighing as he relaxed, now content. _I was of use, and I'm alive,_ he told himself smiling. _That means I can have sex later. I have time, more chances._

"Hole filled," Kako said half-an-hour later. He moved to roll over the snow covering the hole to pat it down.

"Don't roll over it," Chizu screeched, rising in her chair, face white.

"Oops," Kako said, gulping at the girl's white-faced terror.

"Full speed to the other side of the Antarctic," Chizu said, sitting back down.

"Why didn't they crawl out?" Kanji asked. "Spiders are pretty good at that and that mech was shaped like one."

"But it wasn't one," Chizu replied, tossing a cheerful smile the boy's way. "While its legs could carry it on something like ice, it was too heavy to crawl up a hole made of ice. Those legs were skinny enough it would just churn up snow, so it can't dig. And they would just scratch the ice, so it can't climb. It's stuck there."

"Now what? Moji asked. "Down was a good direction, but didn't we just turn it into a waiting game?"

"Sort of," Chizu smiled. "But I think we can speed up the waiting process." She turned to Drop Dead. "See if we can establish contact with them."

On the screen an image of the enemy pilot appeared. "Lousy trash," she immediately started to rant. "Subhuman mutts, I'm going to turn you into dog meat."

Within MEarth there was an appalled silence for in front of the crazed woman were two moaning heaps of human-shaped flesh. It seemed to pass the time she'd carved a few new images into the skin and muscle of her toys. On the upper, right corner of one man's back was the picture of foot stamping MEarth into the ground, crushing it. The lower, left stomach of the other had a picture of what was probably Kodama having his penis and balls chewed off by a rabid dog.

"Been busy, I see," Chizu gulped, horrified at the bloody mess.

"I'm going to smash you all to bits," she bellowed, sounding like a harpy. "I'll cut off the balls of the boys and have them boiled for dinner." She grinned in a way that suggested she'd had the delicacy before.

"Yeah, but you see, before you can do that I'm going to crush a few women to death," Kako said, smirking. "With you trapped there we can go wherever we want, killing whoever we want. You're just the ugly, useless whore who crawled into a hole. Now you're too dumb to get out."

"Moron. I'll hunt you down like the flea-bitten mutt you are. If you're not around I can use this thing's weapons to get out." The image disappeared.

"Guess that's a wrap," Maki said. "That was us winning, right?" Then the earth shook and MEarth shook with it. The girl looked up. "Should I take that as a yes?"

Chizu frowned. "Not what I was expecting, but I'll take it." The girl looked around the room, shrugging helplessly at the others. "Seems those weapons were powerful enough to fuse hydrogen into helium. They broke apart the hydrogen and oxygen in the ice, and then since there was no place for it to escape the pressure built up. Two kilometers of snow and ice above would've kept a lot of pressure contained. Their weapons kept adding more and more energy to it until . . . boom!"

Drop Dead floated down from the ceiling, careful to avoid the floor full of spiders. "And now I guess you don't die?" he said to Kako, not expecting an answer. "But I did bet on you again, so MEarth now has the highest rank of any level one mech ever." The ceramic-looking creature seemed to bounce in the air as if he was happy. "I'm famous."

* * *

Chizu considered what she was feeling as she stood to walk over to Kako. Sure she was happy they'd won, that the Earth they were protecting would survive for another short while, but to her surprise she was wondering what the kiss would be like. Despite her past she hadn't kissed all that often, and those few times had been with men who'd been far more interested in more serious things. Reflecting on her hated past she expected it to be gross but a deal was a deal. She knelt beside Kako, needing a second to take a deep breath before she let their lips met. The curious girl studied the sensation, finding it wasn't gross but rather sort of interesting, even nice. She pulled way, speculating if it was just French-kissing that was gross, or if it was the men she'd kissed. _Perhaps_ , she mused, _it was never good because I knew it was wrong._ Then Kako slumped over, dead.

"Guess it's bye-bye to what's his name," Drop Dead immediately cried, gleefully celebrating. "Finally, one dead kid. I'm so happy." He soared around the room until Maki reach down and tossed a spider at him. Then he fled to the ceiling on the far side of the room from the girl. Still he kept twirling around, unable to contain himself.

"Someone else try?" Moji suggested, not liking the irony. During the last two fights they'd wanted the boy dead, but now . . . . He looked around, not seeing one happy person other than Kodama and Drop Dead.

"Not me," Waku fumed.

Chizu nodded, lips pursed as she frantically tried to think. "Maybe people who revived someone can't be revived themselves," she pondered aloud. "At least not on the same trip."

"We don't know the rules of it yet," Moji said, "so don't panic. Remember, you were dead for three hours when you piloted. It might be nothing more than a matter of time, or even something so childishly simple like the first person dead requires one kiss, second person dead requires two kisses."

The agitated girl nodded, still holding Kako in her arms despite the spiders that were crawling over them. "Or perhaps it's just a simple numbers game," she hopefully added. "He's lost the life force of a kiss plus what MEarth takes, so he needs two kisses rather than just one." She looked expectantly around the room, wondering who would be willing to kiss the boy.

Without prompting Nakama stood to walk over beside the two. Fifteen seconds later Kako's eyes opened and everyone let out a relieved sigh.

* * *

Chizu walked through the halls of the hospital reflecting on the kiss with Kako. She'd come up with any number of reasons why it might've been better than those of the past, but her final conclusion was that there just wasn't enough information. Stopping outside Waku's hospital room she tapped on the door and entered.

"Chizu," Waku greeted the girl eagerly. In the deepest reaches of his mind he even wondered if maybe he'd done enough in MEarth for her to fulfill the bargain. She would only have made such a deal if she'd liked him in the first place, right? Heart racing, he beamed a hopeful smile at the girl.

"Hi," Chizu replied, glancing around the room. Like the rest it was a bunch of bright colors and interesting paintings. She turned back to the boy. "Sucks you missed it by less than an hour, huh?" She gave him a comforting smile. "Assuming the prize was even worth it in the first place."

"Any guy would think you are," came the immediate reply filled with an adolescent's certainly when it came to liking girls.

"And Kako stole your kiss of life," she added, raising an eyebrow. "Unless that is you like boys more than girls?"

"Ugh," Waku spat. "I want to kill him."

Chizu cringed. "Please, don't mention that word. I'm tired of you all trying to kill him. And of people dying."

"Sorry," Waku replied wistfully, knowing she wasn't there to give him his reward.

"I don't like you in that manner," Chizu said matter-of-factly. "I just want to make that clear." She studied the boy, seeing how deeply the words had affected him. "As a friend sure, but the offer was because you needed something to focus on other than dying. It was your first time after all. In ZEarth you didn't know the consequences."

"I see." Waku shrugged, easily accepting that his infatuation wasn't returned. "I was so sure I would manage no problem, but then all I could think of was dying. And I even knew Sakura, or whoever, would save me. Thanks for keeping me from looking like an idiot."

Chizu smiled. "Anytime, but next time I'm not offering anything so drastic. I think a kiss would have sufficed, don't you?"

Waku gave a small laugh. "Trust me, I'm sure your kisses would be better than Kako's." He grinned at the girl.

"Here's a little conciliatory reward then." Chizu leaned forward and let their lips meet. As before it was interesting, and even sort of okay, but not nice like it'd been with Kako. She leaned away. "Word of advice, cut back on the mouthwash and toothpaste."

Waku violently shook his head. "No way. After Kako did that I swore I would wash my mouth out a thousand times. Just eight-hundred to go."

"I see," Chizu smirked, finding to her surprise the visit was going well. The boy hadn't taken her statement of let's-just-be-friends as something to weep over, and had accepted the kiss in the manner it was offered.

* * *

Kako looked up when Chizu knocked on his room door. "Come in," he greeted the girl, noting that she was walking. "They took the mobile bed away?" he asked, smiling as he did so.

"Not quite, but it was suggested I get in more walking. Seems the muscle damage is repaired, but I need to get used to moving around again."

"Good."

Chizu listened to the way he said the word, the way it was filled with relief and joy over her getting well. _He really cares,_ the girl realized, feeling a strange sensation in her stomach.

"I just gave Waku his conciliatory prize," she said, wanting to laugh at the way the boy's expression changed. "No, I didn't do _that_ with him. Just a kiss."

"Oh." Kako felt like he'd been kicked by a mule, only to have it run away and then have a poodle bite his leg.

"Want another?" Chizu asked. "But don't take it the wrong way. I know this isn't polite, but I want to compare you and Waku."

"Oh." Another kiss would be heaven, but being compared to the handsome and athletic soccer player couldn't be good. "I do," he admitted.

"Thought so." Once again Chizu leaned forward and as before her lips met those of a boy. _Nice,_ the still curious girl decided, heart racing just a tad bit faster than usual. Then, raising a hand to the boy's cheek, wondering if it was the lack of tongue that made it nice she opened her mouth to lightly probe. It was still nice and to her shock she felt the beginnings of desire kindle within her stomach. Hurriedly she pulled back. "Nice," she admitted.

"Whew." Kako wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead.

"Just don't ask who was better," she told him. "As friends I like you both, and right now I don't want to be anything more than friends."

Kako immediately became serious. "You asked if being just friends was okay and I didn't answer." He shrugged. "Of course it is. If I like you enough to like like you, then I certainly like you enough to be friends And you already gave me what I needed."

"A kiss?" Chizu wondered, eyebrows raised.

Kako shook his head. "You did care enough to kiss me, so that's part of it, but you also stood up for me when the others wanted to kill me." He shuddered a little. "That was pretty scary. But each time, even though you were in a lot of pain yourself, you were there keeping me safe. I know someone cares about me, that I'm not as alone as I felt back then. That I have value."

"Feeling truly and honestly alone is pretty bad," Chizu admitted, recalling the days when she was eight and . . . . She gulped, forcing her mind away from those dark thoughts. "Do you think I'm a bad person?" the girl asked, letting the words slip out without thinking.

"Bad?" Kako looked at Chizu with a puzzled expression. "You saved my life four times in the last two weeks. I'm sort of not allowed to think of you as bad."

"I let someone get hurt once because I was afraid," Chizu countered. "They got hurt pretty bad too." She looked down. "Really really bad."

"Oh. When was that?"

"When I was eight."

Kako blinked, then shook his head with a deep sigh. "Knowing you I'm sure there was a pretty good reason you didn't help. And to be honest, you shouldn't have been put into the position where you felt like you had to. When kids are that age all they should have to worry about is homework and how to sneak a cookie from the cookie jar."

Chizu smirked. "So you were a cookie thief too, huh?"

"Yep. Cookies, cakes, candy, . . . . You name it and I was a pro at stealing it." Kako grinned at the girl. "For a while I even had an imaginary friend who helped me. Only times I ever got caught was when my sister found his share of the loot and ratted me out." The boy shook his head in disgust. "I kept telling him to eat his share, but no, the dumb kid had to stash everything away. Eventually he got sent to the big house. Haven't heard from him since."

"I see."

"Is she okay now, the person who got hurt?"

"No. What happened won't ever get fixed," Chizu replied.

"Not even by Sakura, assuming she keeps the deal?"

The girl blinked, startled she hadn't thought of that. "Maybe," she admitted.

* * *

"Going around kissing all the boys?" Cherry asked.

Chizu froze. "You know about that?" she asked, blushing.

"It was a guess. Waku was way too happy when I saw him, while Kako seems just a tad bit too chipper." The woman looked at the girl, wondering where she and her friends had been for the twenty-six hours they'd been missing. "What are you up to?" she asked.

Chizu tried to explain that she was curious as to why kisses now seemed nice somehow.

Cherry shook her head. "I'm sure you know the answer to that," the woman said, sounding disgusted.

"Hrm," Chizu mused, pondering.

"With the men did you ever feel like you had a choice?" Cherry asked. "And with the two boys just now, did you feel compelled?"

"That's it?" Chizu asked, shocked.

"Of course. When the men kissed you I'm betting you didn't feel like you could say no." Cherry shook her head, lips turned up in a snarl. "Of course that felt bad. With the boys though I bet you were in control the whole time."

"I was," Chizu admitted. "It was just one kiss and I knew I could stop it at any time."

"I wish I could get my hands on them," the woman grumbled, eyes dark with fury.

Chizu looked up at the woman, thinking, feeling content and not quite as alone as usual. "Help me to my room?" she asked, holding up her hand, wanting the human contact.

"Of course." Cherry immediately took the girl's hand, lending her support.

The girl smiled, feeling lighter and stronger than she ever had. Both Mirror and Cherry had said she wasn't bad, but who knew how Mirror thought, while it was Cherry's job to lie if it was called for. But now Kako knew part of it, and he was pretty sure she wasn't bad. For the first time in years the girl considered that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't the evil she thought she was.

* * *

End of Chapter


	11. Wire versus Wire

_Time: Two days later, morning._

 _ **Wire versus Wire**_

Yawning, Maki walked, or rather stumbled, across the room, aiming for one of the coolers Daichi still kept stocked. _Should've went back to sleep,_ she told herself, blindly reaching into the cooler to pull something out. It was a box of raisins. Trying a second time she got a small tub of yogurt. _Good enough,_ the girl decided, yawning again. Choosing the nearest chair she sat and tore open the packet of raisins which turned out to taste more like extra-sweet bits of orange. Shrugging, she tried the yogurt. It tasted like . . . . She shrugged again, not knowing exactly how to describe it, nor caring to.

"Wow, late night I see," Machi said, taking the chair beside Maki.

"I guess," Maki replied, wondering just what hour it'd been when she and Komo had returned to the hospital. They'd snuck out to make a trip to the beach. With all that'd happened the past few weeks had been long and tiring, and they'd wanted to forget about Kodama and Chizu and Knitting needles, as well as the way Kako had been so viciously persecuted. She and Komo had swam, playing on the large, plushie rafts, had hit the water slides nine or ten times, had eaten their fill of hamburgers, and then settled down on a blanket to feed the strange birds. Only when the artificial sun vanished beneath the horizon had they realized the time and started getting ready to leave. It was also then they'd discovered that movies were shown at the beach during the night. People had gathered around several campfires, or found a space away from the others, and settled down. With the entirety of the several square-kilometer area of the roof being the screen it'd been awesome. They hadn't left until dawn.

"Guess what I got that will wake you up." Machi held up a small, plastic container, rolling it between her thumb and index finger. Through the clear plastic four or five large pills could be seen.

Maki gulped nervously and glanced around. "What are those? I doubt these people are into drugs."

"Drugs?" Machi looked confused. "Oh," she added a second later, shaking her head with a small laugh. "So you're saying you don't want any?"

"No. Definitely not. We must already seem like hoodlums to these people. Let's not add drug trafficking to it."

"Not even if they're the pills that can save your baby brother?"

Maki blinked, eyes suddenly focusing on the bottle. She reached out and snagged the container to hold it up so she could more easily peer inside. 'Oh," she said, now fully awake. "How?"

"I'm not sure," Machi replied. "When Mirror told you to ask me about them I was clueless as to why she would suggest me. When it prompts for the access code to print them there're a billion trillion trillion combinations, and no one but Moji could hope to guess that." The girl shrugged. "I've been trying off and on ever since you asked, but this time I was getting frustrated so I actually screamed at it, ' _What is the blasted access code you worthless piece of junk_ ,' and it just filled in the code for me."

"Wow," Maki said, only half paying attention. She held the precious bottle between two fingers, staring at the five pills that could save her baby brother's life. On this Earth every child was given one before they were a month old. It conferred immunity to every type of cancer as well as numerous other diseases. When the person was twenty-three, and fully grown, they were given another dose. The girl closed both hands around the bottle, not knowing what to do with it. If she carried it on her then it might get lost, but if she hid it in her room then she might not have it when they got sent back to their own Earth, assuming they ever did. She gulped, trembling with excitement and fear.

Machi sat back, watching the girl, glad she could in some small way make up for the trouble she'd caused them. "We're halfway done," she told the girl when the silence had lasted ten minutes.

"Huh?" Maki glanced away from the bottle.

"The last fight was fight number eight. At most seven more to go and this place will be safe. Even if we win them all we're halfway through."

"I wonder where we'll end up next. Maybe it'll be back home?" Maki said, looking hopefully at the other girl.

"That would be nice," Machi agreed, wistfully recalling her parents and friends. "I hope so."

"But you don't know for sure?" Maki continued to study the girl who Mirror had talked to the most back when they'd lived in an apartment and not a hospital. The girl who claimed she was the ultimate leader of the group even if Waku led during the fights.

"It might be before then, but I don't know. Mirror and Sakura were pretty secretive about what they wanted us to do."

"It wasn't to save this world, and worlds like it?"

"I don't think so. They used that to rope us in, and I think this Earth is pretty special to Mirror, but their final goal is something other than that."

"Oh." Maki sat back, still wondering what to do with the bottle she clutched, afraid to let it go.

"An hour," Machi said, sounding a bit bewildered.

"The next fight?" Maki asked, looking up, feeling her exhaustion crash back down on her again.

Machi shook her head. "No. Was told to get stuff together and be ready in an hour." She pulled out her cell phone. "She told me to tell everyone not to leave anything behind that they want to keep."

"Oh." Maki gulped.

* * *

"Finally stopped trying to kill each other, I see," Mirror said, causing the entire group to jump.

Chizu blinked, then looked around. They were no longer at the Headquarters in the hospital but a room that looked a lot like their old apartment. Mirror was casually sitting cross-legged on the table in the main room, sipping a drink of some sort.

"Are we going to another world?" Maki immediately asked.

"What will happen to this world?" Nakama demanded.

"Will it be okay?" Komo spoke, voice radiating concern.

"We fought hard for it, and we won't go until it's safe," Machi said, trying to sound resolute and determined.

Mirror blinked, taken back by their unyielding, united front. "Hm. No, same old Earth as before," she explained. "Just thought if you guys were no longer trying to kill each other you might want to move back to the apartment."

"Oh," Maki sighed in relief, taking a seat.

"Won't the people here come to get us?" Chizu asked.

"They won't. They've always known you were here," Mirror replied, taking another sip of her drink.

"But we were told not to tell anyone," Waku complained. "If they already know why did we have to keep quiet?"

"To be more precise, their leaders know. Ordinary people like Cherry don't." Mirror held up her hand, pointing a finger at Waku and Moji. "And I know the next question from you two will be, how much do they know?" She shrugged. "They know that these fights will determine if their world continues to live or not. Sakura made the request that she be allowed to choose the pilots for those machines and that they not use weapons of their own design until told to do so."

"Weapons?" Kodama shook her head. "But they don't have weapons."

"That was something that puzzled me," Chizu said, interrupting. "These people have learned how to get along, but from their games it's pretty obvious they know how to fight. With their technology it wouldn't take them long to build something that could take out a mech."

"And they're busy doing that," Mirror added. "But Sakura asked, and they've decided to refrain from using them."

"Even if it means they die?" Waku asked.

"Even so."

"Wait," Machi said, practically yelling. "They can destroy a mech on their own world, yet they're trusting you to pick the pilots, and they're okay with us dumb kids doing the fighting? Are they stupid? I know Sakura is a god but . . . ." She stopped and looked around.

In sudden shock, Maki gulped, staring wide-eyed at Mirror. "We've all seen the pictures of you and Sakura on their buildings. But you're not just famous people or some leaders. You're the actual gods of these people. That's why they're allowing it. But when was that? How old are you really?"

"Hm." Mirror looked at the ceiling. "By their time I guess it was around nine-thousand years ago that we first visited. Actually, Sakura was born onto this Earth during one of her rest periods?"

"Rest period?" Waku asked, perplexed. "God?"

Machi shook her head again, trying to sort through her thoughts. "So she lived a human life here back then?"

"She did," Mirror replied, staring back at the girl, eyes dead serious. "Think what that means. Her children would've had children, and those children more children. Over more than three-hundred generations that would mean every child of this world is a direct descendant of hers. And this is what she's trusting you with."

The girl took a step back, gulping again. "But why? Why not just blast each mech out of existence when they come here? We've seen the images on those building, so she can do it. Why risk such an important world?"

"She could, with ease. And the leaders of this world know this as well. Yet she won't." The strange girl stood to walk close to Machi. "Remember what you were told the first day we met. Even if one has the power to do something doesn't mean it should be done. There can be a price to it that should never be paid."

Machi closed her eyes, recalling the names Sakura had recited, the names of her many many dead children. And the voice with which she'd spoke those names.

Mirror turned back to face the rest of the group. "But as I said earlier, you have stopped trying to kill each other so you've got a choice to make. Live here or back at the hospital."

"Here would make more sense," Waku said. "If we're still not supposed to let people know who we are then at the hospital we're restricted in what we can say. Here we can talk about ZEarth and MEarth openly, not just pretend we're playing a game." He looked around. "Let's take a vote. Who's in favor of the apartment?"

Anko, Kanji, Moji, Nakama, Kodama, Waku, Ushiro and Komo raised their hands.

"Eight in favor," Waku said, smiling. "Seems we're back home."

"Not quite," Mirror countered. "There are six who aren't in favor. Until their issues are dealt with the decision is still in doubt." She looked at Waku. "While voting is often a good idea it might be that the minority have problems that take priority."

"Oh." Disgruntled, the boy stared at the six who hadn't agreed. "Kako?" he said grumpily, making it a question.

"I prefer the hospital," Kako replied, not elaborating.

"We won't attack you anymore," Waku insisted. "That's a thing of the past."

"Even so, I prefer the hospital."

"Oh." Waku turned to look at Chizu. "I can see why you would choose the hospital. There you had the hospital staff if Kodama tried anything. But he can't pull the same trick twice."

"Even so, I prefer the hospital," Chizu said, echoing Kako.

"Oh," Waku sighed. He turned to Machi.

"I have no issue with the apartment myself," the girl explained. "I just can't vote in favor of it until I know why the others aren't." She turned to Kako. "I'm sorry for what happened. As leader it was my fault. I should've known things weren't okay and done something." She looked down. "Still not sure what though."

"It's not that," Kako replied, trying a casual smile to relax the distraught girl. "While being alone here with you all does scare the heck out of me, it isn't the only reason."

"My reason is simply the counseling I was getting," Kirie interrupted. "I will probably always be overweight, but Cherry was counseling me about it, and I want to continue with it."

"Same here," Chizu said. "I've had a lot of interesting talks with her. I want them to continue."

"Oh," Waku gulped, guessing at the issues the girl might want help with. "I see."

"And if Cherry was to stay here?" Mirror asked.

"Huh?" Waku looked at Mirror. "Can she do that?"

"Aside from the problem of you ogling her way too much, I don't see why she wouldn't agree to it." Mirror glanced away from the blushing boy. "Also, she's more than capable of handling a dozen or so unruly kids should things break down again. If nothing else she would be able to alert the authorities a bit faster than last time."

"Second vote," Waku said. "Who agrees with the apartment if Cherry stays here?"

The entire group with the exception of Daichi, Maki, and Machi raised their hands.

"You sure she can handle the entire group?" Maki asked.

"Pretty sure," Mirror replied.

"Okay then." Maki raised her hand. Daichi and Machi followed suit, both only having waited until the rest were sure of their decision.

"Okay then," Mirror said, smiling. "That's one issue dealt with. She'll be here in a bit once I've talked with her. Now, . . . ."

"One question," Kako said, interrupting. "You gave us vague warnings about the day being bad before all that went down. Did you know Chizu was being tortured by Kodama, and that the ever-so-nice kids of MEarth were going to go on a rampage?"

"I did," Mirror replied in a frank, matter-of-fact tone.

"That was my fault," Machi hurried to interject upon seeing the expressions of shock and anger on the faces of her friends. "I was told not to include Kodama, but I insisted on it. If I hadn't then it would never have happened."

"But you didn't know she was being tortured, did you?" Kako growled. "Mirror did. And I bet she didn't tell you why they didn't want Kodama included."

"Well, no, but . . . ."

"We ask that you remember that deal when today has passed," Mirror said, speaking over the others. "Yet you don't remember."

Machi fell silent. "I don't know what you mean," she replied, hesitant. "I was the one who insisted on his being resurrected."

"True, but what do you recall the deal being?"

"The lives of my friends from ZEarth in return for my piloting more mechs," Machi replied instantly.

Mirror tilted her head. "And," she prompted.

"And I would also get another wish for each mech I piloted. That was it."

Chizu shook her head. "On most worlds there are warnings about dealing with fairies and leprechauns and such," she said. "I would imagine that also applies to gods."

"Very true," Mirror admitted.

"So what did she miss?" Chizu asked, prompting Mirror.

"A god, if you wish to call them that, knows what's in a person's heart," Mirror explained. "The deal was not just her words, but what she most desired in her heart at the time she spoke those words."

"Oh," Chizu said, frowning. "I see."

"I don't," Machi said, looking between the two. "I didn't wish anything bad. I just wanted my friends back."

"You wanted them to fulfill their dreams," Mirror replied. "And what do you think the dream of Kodama was?"

Machi frowned, turning white. "I don't want to know," she said, refusing to look at the boy.

"I am the chosen, the one true God," Kodama said, sounding proud and confident. "My desire is to be forever worshiped by the lesser beings. In doing so I make them immortal within me."

"What he means," Chizu added, feeling queasy, "is that he makes them scream while killing them, and he remembers those screams." She looked down, nervously wringing her hands together. "But that's only half of it. What do you think my dream was?"

"I don't know," Machi said, trying to take in everything that was being said. Knowing Kodama's dream was already enough to make her feel faint. "I don't think I want to know," she finally added, looking at the floor. "Not if it's anything like Kodama's."

"To suffer," Chizu stated without emotion. "To pay for my sins for as long as I lived."

"That's crazy," Machi erupted, gushing the words. "You're a good person. Why would you want to . . . ." The girl shook her head. "That makes no sense."

"Yet that was my dream," Chizu replied, not looking at any of the others. "When Kodama started to torture me it was not just his dream he was fulfilling but mine as well. By the deal Mirror couldn't interfere."

"That's crazy," Machi repeated again, shaking her head.

"What's your dream now?" Mirror asked.

"To heal," Chizu immediately replied. "I know I have things in my past that I will always regret, but after a few days with Kodama I'm no longer sure I deserve to suffer forever. At least not like that."

"No child can ever commit any crime for which they should suffer like that for even one day," Mirror countered, eyes closed, face pale.

Chizu looked around the room. "And if anyone wants to argue that it was wrong of Mirror to allow it, then you should also know she allowed herself to be tortured the same way so that she could relate to me, so that she could convince me it was wrong. I won't tolerate anyone blaming her for what happened."

"Oh." Kako looked at the floor, feeling sick. "So she's the one who made you see sense?" he finally asked.

"She is," Chizu immediately replied.

The boy nodded, and when the silence had lasted too long, asked, "What was the next issue?"

"I do believe Maki has some pills she's hiding," Mirror said, looking at the girl. "No, I have no desire to take them away," she hurried to add, seeing the way Maki clutched the plastic bottle. "But it is part of the reason why I'm a bit more open with you today than before." She looked around the room. "The other part being that you now seem more like a team."

"Why are the pills important to you?" Maki asked.

"Not so much the pills as the fact that Machi was able to get them," Mirror explained. "Do you remember how you did it? And can you repeat it at will?"

"No. Was just a one-time thing," Machi answered.

"I see," Mirror said, sighing. "As a first task it was pretty good. The fact you were driven to help your friend certainly helped." She looked around the room, and then with a grin she snapped her fingers. "I know. Look at your phone."

Puzzled, and a little fearful, Machi pulled out her phone. There was a small, neon-pink, smiley face where none had been before. She tapped on it and a prompt came up asking for a password.

"Get the password and I will give the group a small reward," Mirror told the girl.

"What's the reward?" Machi asked.

"I'll let you all decide that as a group. It has to be something I can do without asking Sakura, but within that anything goes." Mirror glanced around the room. "Now, what was next?" she mused, looking at Moji. She beckoned the boy forward.

"I messed up bad when I said Kako was the person who hurt Chizu," Moji gushed, practically sobbing. "I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me too bad." He swallowed, knowing he was a white as a ghost, and in serious danger of becoming one himself very soon.

"Lesson learned, I see," Mirror said, eyebrows raised.

"Yes ma'am," the boy instantly replied.

"And what was the lesson?" Mirror smiled when the boy stood there, frozen in thought.

Moji gulped. "Um . . . ."

Mirror tapped her foot and glanced at her phone, checking the time. Then her attention returned to the boy.

Sweating, Moji felt faint, knowing the one lesson he'd learned was to never tell a god, or even the servant of one, that you'd learned a lesson when you didn't know exactly what you'd learned. "To be careful of how I use my gift?" he finally answered, making it a question.

"Nay," Mirror casually replied. "It's your gift so use it to get rich or see if a girl likes you." She shrugged. "Who cares? You're basically a good person, so you're not going to use it for evil, right?"

 _Crap,_ Moji silently cried, knowing he was about to become a ghost. "Never," the quavering boy answered. "I don't like hurting people. Not usually."

"Yet you did. Why?"

"Because I abused my gift?"

Mirror sighed. "No. If you were a judge then using it to decide guilt would be an excellent way to use that power. What did you do wrong?"

"You asked the wrong question, remember," Chizu said, taking pity on the boy.

"Spoilsport," Mirror muttered, glaring at the girl before turning back to Moji. "Always carefully considered the question you're asking your gift to answer," she explained. "First always consider if it's the right question to ask. In this case it wasn't. Then always consider what knowing the answer will mean, and always consider what not knowing the answer will mean. Look at it from every point of view you can think of, and then sleep on it. Or at least sleep on it if you have time."

"Okay," came the prompt reply.

Mirror sighed, still peering at the boy with a doubtful look on her face. "Let's see if you do understand," she mused. "Let's see, what question can I ask you?" She looked around the room, examining each of the group members. "I know." The girl turned back towards Moji. "You would never rape Chizu, would you?"

"Course not," Moji spluttered. "I would never do that." When the girl only stared back he knew he had to put the question to his gift. To his shock it came back _'yes.'_ "But . . . ." The boy shook his head. "I wouldn't."

"Not even if someone had a gun pointed to your head, or to the head of all of your friends?" Chizu asked. "The question didn't take into consideration coercion, just if you would under any circumstances." She looked around with a deep sigh. "I'm making sure my room door has a good lock," she firmly stated.

"Oh," Moji said, not knowing what else to say.

Mirror tilted her head, still looking at the boy. "Let's try this on for size then," she said. "Without being provoked or coerced, would you ever viciously attack Kako again without warning?"

"No," came a much less confident reply. "Not unless I was coerced in some way." The boy closed his eyes. "Yes? But I don't understand." He refused to look towards Kako.

"Seems I need a good lock on my door as well," Kako muttered, sounding disgusted.

"I can think of any number of ways you might end up attacking poor Kako again," Mirror told the stunned boy, "but I will leave you to consider it for a while."

"Man, this is crazy," Moji said, shaking his head.

"Indeed," Mirror smiled. She leaned over and tapped the boy on the forehead.

Moji blinked, rubbing the spot the girl had tapped. "You just restored all my juice?" he stated. "Why?"

"I have a feeling you will need it for the next fight," MIrror replied, looking at her phone. "Which will be in fifty-three minutes and twenty-two seconds."

"Okay people," Waku said, speaking up. "We've done it before, so let's think of a way to kill a near-indestructible beast without having any weapons." The boy frowned, looking seriously annoyed. "Not even a bloody slingshot," he added.

"I suspect this opponent will be a tough one," Mirror casually added, taking a seat. "If, as Machi has informed me, MEarth is becoming famous then there will be other mechs that will want to fight you."

"Can we hope that the selection is random?" Waku asked, almost pleading.

"No. Remember your first fight was with someone Penny had seen fifty-three times," Mirror reminded the hopeful boy. "Very unlikely to have been random."

"Crap," Waku muttered with a gloomy sigh.

"Anyway, I'm off to see if Cherry is dumb enough to want to look after fourteen and one-fourth crazy kids," Mirror said, vanishing from view.

"One-fourth?" Waku said, looking around. "Oh," he added with a blush when Maki pointed at Chizu's stomach.

* * *

"Good job," Kako exclaimed when the cockpit of MEarth appeared. "You were only off by fourteen seconds." He looked around the room. "I think this calls for a round of applause." He enthusiastically clapped and the whole group joined in.

Penny joined in on the clapping, eyes quickly glancing from one kid to the next. She let out a small sigh of relief when she failed to detect any signs of injury. "Morning," she said when Daichi sat beside her. "All healed?" she asked, looking down at his groin.

"All healed," he assured her, blushing a crimson red.

"Good." Penny smiled at him for a second before turning her attention back to the rest of the group.

"Let's paintole Snotty green?" Nakama firmly stated, holding up a tube of neon-green paint. "It'll fit his name."

"Snotball is a terrible name anyway," Komo said, shaking her head. "Let's go with purple." She held up a tube of purple paint.

"No one is painting me," Drop Dead insisted.

"Pink," Maki declared, "is so much cuter." In her hand was a tube of pink paint.

"Brown is the way to go," Anko said, showing off a tube of brown paint.

"No way," Maki and Komo said together, turning on the girl. "Then his name would have to be Turd," Komo added, "and people would call MEarth the Turd-Mobile. No way."

"But," Anko said, looking down as if she was about to cry.

"People," Chizu shouted, "let's not fight. I think we've had enough of that." She looked at the four fighting girls, looking relieved when they settled down. "Instead, why not decide in a way that's fun and fair?"

"My body, my decision," Drop Dead said, knowing he was going to be ignored.

"What's your idea?" Maki asked.

"We play a game," Chizu suggested. "First person to paint ole Snotty is the winner, and he stays that color."

"Insane," Drop Dead said, wondering why he let these kids get under his skin.

"Agree," Komo said, and the other three girls echoed her.

Machi let loose with a blood-curdling scream, dropping flat on the floor as she did so. The panicked girl pointed at the ceiling.

Fearful, Drop Dead looked up to see a spider looking down at him. "I'm not falling for it," he firmly stated, speaking to Machi. "You're just projecting one of those silly holo-thingies this world has."

Machi shook her head and crawled across the floor. Trying to hide from the dark, malicious eyes of the watching spider she crouched behind her chair.

"Hm," Drop Dead nervously mused, looking back up. Deciding it wouldn't hurt he flew across the room, making sure to stay away from both the kids and the spider.

"Eek." Maki, also dropping to the floor, let loose an ear-shattering shriek of her own. Another spider had appeared high on the wall beside her. Terrified out of her wits she crawled over to huddle beside Machi.

"They're just images," Drop Dead insisted, carefully moving away from the second spider. He equally made sure he wasn't near any of the mental-challenged girls.

"They're everywhere," Komo gasped, raising a shaky hand to point. She dashed across the room, crouching down beside another chair. Then, still shaken, she scurried over to join Machi and Maki.

"You'll draw them to us," Machi said, uttering the words in a low, timid sounding whisper.

"We'll both hide over there," Maki said, pulling at Komo.

"No, I'm sorry," Machi shrieked, petrified as she clawed at Maki to keep her from leaving. "Don't go. Please."

Drop Dead whirled around, looking at the girls and then at the spiders. He could have sworn their fear was real. But his experience also said the spiders weren't and that the girls knew it.

"Help. Oh God, it's got me," Anko bellowed, almost shattering what passed for Drop Dead's eardrums. The girl was plastered against a wall with another of the spiders crawling all over her.

Drop Dead quivered, whirling around as he tried to keep all four spiders in sight, especially the one that had the terror-stricken girl pinned against a wall. As he did so he moved, always trying to keep as far from them as possible, but never forgetting the insane girls as he sought one hiding spot after another. Eventually, skimming just inches from the floor he entered the spot that would've marked an 'X' if one were to draw lines between the four spiders.

Psst, poof, there came two sounds one after the other with a now glow-in-the-dark, neon-green Drop Dead desperately racing for the ceiling. Around him the entire group burst out in laughter.

"The winner is Nakama," Chizu exclaimed with a smirk on her face. "No offense, Anko, but even I got to admit I don't want MEarth renamed to Turd-Mobile."

"Woot," Nakama said, smiling as she punched the air in victory.

"But, . . . ." Drop Dead looked down, and then turned around and around. He hadn't gone near the girls or the spiders, but he most definitely had been painted the most awful green he'd ever seen.

"Oh well," Anko said with a deep, sad sigh. "Perhaps we can turn this into an event we play each time we fight?" She walked over to the floor and picked up a small, square piece of plastic whose color perfectly matched that of the floor. Around her the other three girls did the same.

"But . . . ." Drop Dead muttered again, wanting to scream, to cry, to do anything that would change what'd happened. Desperate, he vanished from MEarth to appear in the Pacific Ocean. The salt water didn't affect the paint at all. He tried some hot springs, but the green that covered his whole body didn't smudge even a little. Knowing his body was decently heat-tolerant, he even tried hovering over the lava in a volcano. Nothing.

"Nano-carbon based and chemically inert," Daichi said when Drop Dead returned to MEarth and stayed put. "Took me a full day to find that type of paint in the 3D-printer's database." The boy shook his head in disgust. "No one needs more than eighty-nine million types of paint. No one."

"Congratulations," Nakama told Drop Dead. "Now those bad parts are covered." The girl gave the pitiful creature a big smile. "And now no one can tell that you didn't come out quite right."

"There's nothing wrong with me," Drop Dead insisted. "Or at least there wasn't until you kids came along."

"You can think of the paint job as our thanks for being on time," Kako said. "Congratulations."

Looking around, seeing the spiders had disappeared, Drop Dead moved back up near the ceiling. "Perhaps you had best be less concerned with me and worry more about your opponent," the creature said, trying to maintain some of his dignity.

The group turned to view the enemy mech that waited nearby.

"Doesn't look very strong," Maki said, looking at the tall, slim robot that waited outside. "What level is it?"

"Eleven," Drop Dead crowed. "It's going to wipe us out in less than a second." He bounced around the room, not caring his fame would soon be over. His sole, all-consuming desire now was for the blasted kids who'd painted him this sickening green to die. Then there would be a new world where there were sane kids who would weep and fight between themselves when the time came to choose a pilot. They would sometimes even kill each other. It would be fun to watch and all would be right with the world.

"What makes it so strong?" Kako asked. The enemy looked to be made of copper wire like MEarth, but where MEarth was a cylinder that could only roll on the ground this enemy stood tall, reaching nearly six-hundred-meters in height. The main body, or trunk, appeared to be composed of a number of wires twisted together. At the bottom the main trunk of the mech split into twenty wire-like legs, while at the top it did the same.

"It's fast," Moji said, having been using his skill to divine the enemy's capabilities. "As fast as us. And we're in a minefield."

"What?" Waku whirled on Moji, feeling faint. "Then we can't run?"

"Nope," Moji replied, smiling grimly. "What makes it so fast though isn't the mech itself but the fact it has a pilot like us who knows how to push its limits."

"Damn," Waku said, cringing.

"So kids, going to panic?" Drop Dead begged. "Do something normal for once in your miserable lives." He dropped down to stare at Moji. "Just so you know, that mech has wiped out two level fifteen enemies. You don't stand a chance." He whirled around the boy, laughing hysterically. "At last I'm going to be rid of you brats."

"Can we win?" Waku dared to ask.

Moji nodded. "Of course," he replied, trying to sound positive and self-assured. "Thing is, if we get too far from it we die." He shrugged. "Not sure how we fight it."

"What weapons does it have?" Kako asked, curious. To him the enemy still didn't look all that strong.

"Each of those wires on its top end creates plasma bursts," Moji replied. He looked around the room. "The plasma has an impact equivalent to five megatons and it can rapid fire all twenty wires in less than a second."

Kako gulped. "How long to recharge?"

"One second," Moji said, giving the boy a grin that would have well suited a grim reaper of death.

"I see," Waku mused, looking at the enemy. "That's why we can't get too far from it. If we do it toasts us in an instant or we hit the minefield. We got to stay close where it can't fire least it damages itself."

"That's the way I read it," Moji agreed.

"But how do we stay close to something that's as fast as us?" Chizu asked, looking worried, "If it swerves then it takes time to compensate." She looked at Moji. "Unless you're the pilot and you can divine its movements?"

"You guessed it." The boy stood to take the pilot's seat. "Thing is, if I'm wrong even once we get hurt, bad. Wrong twice and we're dead."

"How're you doing on juice?" Chizu asked, frowning. "Don't waste too much before the fight even starts."

"I'm chock full. That top-up Mirror gave me was really something. Right now I'm trying to locate the cockpit but it's fizzling on me."

"Hrm," Chizu mused, leaning forward to stare at the enemy, lips pursed. "You know, it seems to be made up of twenty wires, but that trunk is way too thick to be just those wires. I bet it's hollow." She turned back to Moji. "Is it moving around inside that trunk?"

"That's it," Moji said, startled. "You sure you're not the seer here?"

"I'll stick with being the crazy girl," she replied.

"Look on the bright side," Kako said, casually leaning back in his chair.

The entire room turned to look at him.

"For once I bet we beat them in armor. They only got those twenty long wires. We got thousands of pieces of wire on this thing."

"True," Maki grinned. "For once in at least one stat we outrank an enemy. Woot. Go MEarth," she cheered.

"Don't you damn kids get it?" Drop Dead bellowed. "This is it. It's over. You're dead."

"If we're dead then we can't panic," Chizu solemnly informed the creature. "Who would know that better than us?"

Drop Dead came to a halt, knowing there was no counter to that. He sank to the floor with a sigh.

* * *

"I'm in no rush to die," a strange, female voice softly spoke, "but when do we fight?"

The group looked to see the screen connecting the two mechs had switched on. A girl of around sixteen sat watching them with a lopsided smile that spoke only of sadness. Her whitish-blonde hair was short, yet nicely trimmed in a very feminine fashion. The sadness of her smile was reflected in her vibrant, dark-grey eyes. Clothed in a pretty, pink shirt and blue pants she was elegant and graceful looking.

"You're beautiful," were the only words Moji gushed.

"Thank you," the girl said, clearly trying to hide a smile. She looked around at the entire group, head tilted as she studied them. "Only kids?" she asked, sounding tired. "And no weapons. A world of peace I assume?"

"I'm not a kid," Moji said, still gushing. The boy turned a scarlet red when he realized how the words must sound. "We're not that much younger than you," he insisted.

"He's thirteen," Chizu interrupted. "And way too young to have the fantasies he's probably having about you right now."

"It's not like he will get to have them when he's older," the enemy said with a slight shrug. "Let him have what he can while there's time."

"Sorry to make you wait," Chizu continued, liking the girl. "We were busy giving our mascot a paint job."

"Paint job?" the girl asked, looking curious.

"Stand up and show off your new colors, Snotty," Nakama ordered.

Drop Dead trembled, knowing it would be social suicide to show himself to any others like himself. Then his eyes met those of Kako. Slowly he rose from the floor. "I'm not a mascot," he firmly stated, knowing his color made a mockery of the words.

The enemy girl stared, rendered speechless. Then she broke down in laughter.

"We call him Snotty," Chizu told the girl, smiling as well. "I'm Chizu. What's your name?"

The girl, still giggling, shook her head. "None that's fit for the ears of children such as yourself." When she saw their confusion she explained, "I'm a slave." She paused. "In my work I have many names."

"You're a prostitute?" Chizu asked, frowning.

"A world of peace would have such a thing?" the girl asked. "I had hoped they wouldn't."

"I don't think it means the same as on your Earth," Chizu said. "No one is forced into it, but some few choose to make it their trade." She shrugged. "People have the freedom to decide for themselves what they want to do. At least within reason."

"Oh. That sounds nice."

"They trust a slave to decide the fate of their world?" Waku asked, unable to stop ogling the girl.

"I have family and friends. They wish to live, so I will do my best."

The boy nodded. "We might or might not like the world we live in, but family and friends make sacrifice worthwhile."

The girl nodded. "You understand then." She smiled. "Children, but wise ones. I am sorry for what I must do today," she explained, eyes becoming moist, "but that I will pay for with my life."

"Even if you win, we would rather you live," Chizu said. She tilted her head in reflection of the other girl's. "You do know the dying part after piloting can be avoided?"

"No. How would you know? And why would you tell me?" The other girl was still, eyes radiating just a hint of hope. It faded. "But even if I knew I don't think I would want to."

"It's not your fault," Chizu said. "And I like you." She looked around the room. "I think we all do, especially the boys." She shook her head. "Waku, stop drooling like that," she ordered. "You're embarrassing the name of MEarth."

"Mirth?" the girl asked.

Chizu shrugged. "It's a joke, isn't it? A sick, twisted one, so that's what we called our mech." She spelled out the name, correcting the spelling.

"Oh. This has to be your first fight, but you sound like you've fought before." The girl now stared at them with open curiosity.

"This will be our ninth time piloting MEarth," Chizu said, grinning at the shock in the other girl's eyes. "Not having weapons certainly pisses us off to no end," she admitted. "But even so we manage."

"How?" the girl asked, then shook her head. "Sorry, I know you can't answer that." She looked to her left. "Is it true?" she asked.

A mirror-image of Drop Dead before his paint job hovered into view. "It is," the creature replied, answering the girl while peering inquiringly at Drop Dead.

"These kids are crazy," Drop Dead replied, sounding like he was on the brink of tears. "I just want them to die but they won't. On one world they laughed off over two-hundred-thousand nukes and a level fifteen mech. It's insane. This whole situation is insane. This is a level one, for crying out loud. We're not supposed to win. It's in our contract somewhere. " He sank out of sight on the floor.

"The trick to not dying when you're a pilot is quite simple," Chizu explained. "The mech drains your life force, but it takes the human body some time to die. Ten to fifteen minutes. If you jump-start it before then you can survive. It won't always work, but most of the time it will."

"Jump start?"

Chizu nodded. "You just need to transfer a tiny bit of life force into the body. Then it will start working again. The sure way would be to save some blood before you fight, and then pump it back in after. Or even drink it. But even enough kisses will do it. The body will jump-start itself even with a fraction of its normal energy, but with just kisses you're looking at several minutes of pure, tongue in the throat, kissing. You might make it in time, but then you might not."

"Oh." The girl shook her head, dazed. "Is it really that easy? I've watched eight slaves die, all who were my friends, and the answer was so simple." She gulped, and started to cry.

"I only just figured it out myself recently," Chizu consoled the girl.

"Why tell us this?" another, older woman asked, stepping into view of the screen. Her body was scarred, yet she stood tall and strong.

Chizu studied the woman before answering. "We're forced to fight," she explained, not sure how to put it to words, "but we've decided we will do so with honor. Or at least honor as we see it. Without weapons we use traps and tricks to kill our enemies, but we don't let them think we're helpless kids. Most of us have not only piloted a mech, but some of us have done so twice. We will do whatever we must to save the Earth we fight for, but we won't sell our souls." She looked down at Drop Dead. "They wish to reduce us to animals for their amusement. That we will not allow. We keep our dignity." Her eyes flickered over to Kako who blushed and lowered his head. Chizu then turned to meet the woman's powerful gaze. "I'm not sure if that makes sense," she said sheepishly.

"To a slave it does. Thank you." The woman smiled and vanished from the screen.

The girl in the pilot's seat nodded at them. "I will do my best," she said. "It would dishonor you to do otherwise. But . . . ." She sighed.

"Yes," Chizu said, encouraging the girl.

"Upon our own world we faced a level fifteen mech that nearly won. It's armor withstood our first, second, and third attack. It had time to fire back and that nearly cost us our world. You've faced a level fifteen and won. If it doesn't give away any secrets can you tell us how?"

"Have you ever faced a level fifteen on its own turf?" Chizu asked, curious.

"No."

"If you do then beware of minefields." She looked at the land around the enemy and smiled. "Like the one you have set for us."

"How do you know?"

"But the answer to your question is simple. We ran away and it gave chase. When we move fast enough MEarth can stay afloat. The enemy fell into what we call the Japan Trench and its cockpit was destroyed. Just barely though."

"Ingenious," the girl said. She turned to look off screen again, then turned back. "We've fought two level fifteen mechs. While we don't see how you can win we will tell you about them." She immediately fell into a long, detailed talk on the enemies they'd faced, including their weapons and the location of their cockpits.

"Thank you," Chizu said when the girl had finished. "We can tell your mech is very powerful and very fast, though lacking in armor. And the trick with the moving cockpit is pretty nice. At least it's not out in plain sight like ours." She gave a sigh.

"How did you know . . . ."

Chizu waved the girl to silence and went on to explain the level ten they'd fought.

"Oh," the enemy girl gulped a minute later. "That sounds like it was designed solely to counter us."

"My thoughts exactly," Chizu replied. "We're very thankful for the information you've given us."

"We're grateful as well," the girl answered. "It was for us more than an equal trade, and as slaves that's something that's very rare in our world." She smiled at the enemies from a world she couldn't hope to comprehend, one where there was freedom, knowing in them she'd found soulmates.

"Wait," Moji interjected, knowing they would soon have to fight. "I can't just remember you as the most beautiful woman ever. Even if you don't have a name, choose one now. Something we can call you by when we think of you."

"A name?" the girl shook her head, then glanced to her side again, listening to the older woman. She paused in thought. "Arcadia," she finally said, having given it serious thought. "I like the name Arcadia."

"Arcadia," Moji repeated the name, smiling. "I like it too. I wish . . . ." He looked down.

"Me too," the girl said, also looking down. "I think it's best we start before I'm unable to fight."

Moji nodded and the screen disappeared.

"Are you okay?" Chizu asked.

"No. But in this crazy game is anyone?"

* * *

The enemy mech ran, needing to open the distance between them before it could fire its weapons. Fast and nimble, it reached the speed of sound in seconds. Moji, mind focused solely on the enemy, trying to predict its actions, actually threw MEarth into gear a fraction of second before the enemy moved. Then, a split second later, he made a sharp turn to the right just before Arcadia did. Though the enemy mech was the one trying to race away, it was MEarth who was always in the lead, never straying more than a few hundred meters from its foe's erratic path.

Everyone knew it wouldn't be enough. As focused as Moji was at the moment, as precise as he was in his power of prediction, he would eventually falter. Then the enemy would open fire with those balls of plasma it could throw, or the mines would kill them. All it needed was a few kilometers of distance between them so their weapons didn't tear them to shreds as well as MEarth.

Hand gently covering her stomach, Chizu quietly sat, watching Moji as much as she did the enemy mech. Unlike the other battles of MEarth's past, there was no question of how to destroy this enemy - with MEarth being the better-armored one they simply needed to repeatedly crash into their fragile foe, breaking off its arms and legs. But that wasn't as easy as it sounded. The girl studied the spasmodic path Moji and Arcadia carved through the desolate landscape of sand and stone beneath a seemingly endless, dark-grey sky. The enemy planned a move and Moji without fail read it, making the same change in direction fractions of a second before the enemy did. If he was to break from the pattern he might collide with the enemy mech and damage it, but the risk was near certain death. If he missed the enemy would open fire with twenty five-megaton blasts of plasma that would reduce MEarth to wreckage, assuming it didn't outright destroy them with a direct hit to the cockpit. And what if he did hit? The two mechs would impact with incredible force, damaging the enemy, but the odds are they would carry past each other; then again, the enemy would open fire, possibly killing them.

"We need a smokescreen," said Waku who was watching the fast-paced competition without blinking. "Even a small one and then . . . ." He sighed, knowing it wasn't in the cards. While MEarth might manage to throw up a cloud of sand from the rocky terrain it would take a fatal amount of time. The precious seconds it would require was suicide.

"Ironic," Machi added.

"Beautiful," Drop Dead said, sounding like he was giggling. "And ever so ironic indeed. No matter what the armor of your enemies you always beat it even though you don't have a single weapon. Now, faced with something that has no armor, you're going to lose. That's what you get for painting me green."

"Shush," Kako ordered the annoying creature. "We're thinking."

"I will not," the suddenly defiant Drop Dead retorted. "If my being a pest is what it takes then screw dignity, I want to be rid of you all." He went flying down to hover between Moji and the screen showing the enemy mech.

Machi felt a dark fear flood her veins as the mascot of MEarth dared rebellion. Without thinking, reacting on pure instinct, she reached out, touching the control center of MEarth and banished the creature.

Drop Dead froze in incredulity, turning around and around in shock. The sensation only increased, causing him to verge on a nervous breakdown, when he tried to return to MEarth only to fail. He, the master of the great mech, had been cast out with the door firmly locked behind him. _Not possible,_ the creature thought, still whirling around and around. _Not possible_ Then he realized where he was as the tall, beanstalk-like mech of the enemy came into sight, followed a second later by MEarth who tore up the ground as it traveled, ensuring certain death for any who stood beneath it.

Machi shook her head, feeling weird. She wasn't sure what'd happened but it seemed Drop Dead had decided he had other things to do. _Focus,_ the girl commanded her overworked brain with her attention returning to the problem at hand.

"Help," Drop Dead frantically bellowed to the controls of MEarth, the mech that was supposed to see him as master. "Help." The block, or whatever it'd been, dissolved and he flashed back to the uncertain safety of the cockpit even as a hurricane of shattered rock hurled his way from the base of MEarth. Inside, though not feeling at all safe, the creature hid on the ceiling.

"Remember, interfering in a fight is illegal," Kako warned Drop Dead, finding it impossible to miss the neon-green blob as it tried to hide.

"Help," Moji said, voice sounding strained as he spoke low with his attention still entirely on the enemy. "Making decisions every second is draining me fast."

In alarm the group frantically looked around at each other, desperately seeking solutions. In each other's eyes they saw only the struggle, not the gleam of success.

Waku returned to studying the path they'd taken so far, and as chaotic as it was, he saw a pattern. "We're staying within the minefield," he told the group. "But it's thousands of square kilometers. It can't all be covered." He turned to look at Chizu. "You're good at spotting those things. Can you tell when we're not within range of any mines?"

Chizu looked out the screen, eyeing the blur of the landscape as it rushed past at the speed of sound. "Not a chance," she replied. "Heck, I can't even see the enemy most of the time."

"Frig," the boy muttered.

Kirie watched the enemy sway and zig-zag, turning every which way to evade the ever-present shadow of MEarth. In a machine which broke the sound barrier every few seconds, always changing course, it was far from easy. And the motion was starting to have an affect on him. Or, to be more precise, his stomach. _Another reason to lose weight,_ the queasy boy muttered to himself, holding his rebellious stomach. Trying to ignore the motion sickness he kept his eyes on the constantly changing horizon. Yet, somehow despite the direness of the situation, his attention kept coming back to his roiling stomach. It seemed the queasiness came in very short, very powerful bursts that were around two seconds apart. That was how long it took to hit the speed of sound, then make an insane turn. Like the beating of his heart, Kirie found he could almost keep track of time by it. Only sometimes the beat, or pulse of sickness, was four seconds apart.

 _One,_ the boy counted.

 _Two,_ and here it comes. The boy viciously suppressed the need to barf.

 _One._

 _Two. And it's missing,_ the boy noted with a frown, deep in thought.

 _Three._

 _Four. I wonder where Daichi put the barf bags,_ Kirie gulped, face becoming greener and greener.

 _One._

 _Two, and . . . . Oh God, make it stop._

 _One._

 _Two._ "Daichi, barf bag, please," the boy said, uttering the words as if his life, rather than his dignity, depended on it.

 _One._

 _Two._ He threw up, wondering just how many calories it counted for, knowing it could never be enough.

 _One._

 _Two._

 _Three._

 _Four._ This time, not feeling as sick, the boy saw what was different. The mechs, being massively tall, had no need to avoid minor obstructions, but the land around them was littered with small, barren hills. When the enemy mech changed course towards one it seemed to take it longer to position its legs, making the turn less abrupt.

After pausing to throw-up again, the boy quickly spoke, "If you're trying to ram them, they're slower when they turn towards a hill. And their legs are off the ground longer." He shrugged. "And I guess the hill might help keep them from rolling or sliding far enough away to get a shot at us."

A minute later Chizu nodded. "Way to go. I would never have noticed."

"Me either," Waku admitted.

 _It's now or never,_ Moji decided, throwing MEarth onto a direct collision course with the enemy. The two billion-ton giants met at a speed surpassing that of sound, creating a shockwave that lashed outward, causing minor, nearby rocks to shatter. In passing MEarth caught three of the enemy's legs in its wire covering, bending two of them back at an angle that caused something in them to snap. Then the two behemoths were past each other with MEarth frantically trying to reverse course as if its life depended on it; which, for its pilot, it did. Meanwhile the enemy mech fell on the hill, sliding over it at an insane speed that quickly carried it several hundred meters from MEarth. It's arms aimed to fire, yet it withheld the onslaught as MEarth closed the distance between them.

"How many legs does it need to keep running?" Waku asked, looking at Chizu.

"Wish we'd thought to ask that before starting the fight," Chizu admitted, eyeing the one person who was now way too busy to answer.

Moji divined the next path the enemy would take, noted the hill, and once again threw MEarth into reverse, putting it on a collision course. This time he only snagged one leg, and while it did bend back further than any of the others it didn't break. Unable to take the time to even think of a curse, the boy forced MEarth to grind to a halt and roll after its foe. The action took too long, allowing several of the enemy arms to open fire with the blasts ripping through MEarth, shattering sections of its wire covering, and actually slowing the machine down. Hands gripping the armrests of his chair in a death grip, Moji commanded all the power he could from MEarth and rolled into three further blasts, pushing the mech closer to the enemy. When the mech came suicidally close the enemy stopped.

"We can't take many like that," Waku said, clutching at his chest. "That girl is good."

"Perhaps too good," Chizu said, frowning at the screen, knowing there was no choice but the try to risky maneuver again and again until the enemy was slowed.

The next time also snagged a single leg, catching it tightly amidst the many strands of wire that made up MEarth. But this time it snapped, and the enemy was down to seventeen legs. Still, it was as fast as ever.

"Twelve," Chizu guessed. "It would need four to start running and four to stop running. Then to keep its balance there would have to be two to a side."

Amidst the minefield, each desperate to save a world, the mechs clashed again and again. More blasts ripped through MEarth, even blackening its cockpit, yet the machine held together. Meanwhile the enemy kept trying to run, to open the distance to something safe from where it could turn its massive firepower on a defenseless MEarth. As the long, tortuous minutes passed, shockwave after shockwave blasted across a barren land that was frequently lit by nuclear fire. Within MEarth a weary Moji felt the constant need to predict the enemy's path drain his 'juice' at an insane rate, while within the enemy mech Arcadia frowned with sweat running down her face. The older woman would at times mop it away with fearful glances towards the most fearsome opponent they'd yet faced.

At twelve legs Chizu was proved wrong as the enemy, while making fewer turns, still made the turns it did take just as fast. It was something a near unconscious Kirie was grateful for. He'd already thrown up eight times and could now only heave. With gratitude in his heart, he counted the turns as now coming once every five seconds. Then he dry-heaved again into a bag.

At eleven and ten legs the enemy still managed. The turns were no longer as sharp, nor were they as gracefully executed, but for MEarth the danger was over. From the time the wobbling enemy fell to the time it rose to flee, there was now at least one extra second for MEarth to come to a halt and return to shadow the enemy. The damage it took ceased while that of the enemy now rapidly increased.

The number of legs dropped to nine and then to eight. That was where MEarth nearly died. Moji, desperate to end the battle before his power of divination came to an end rolled over the enemy rather than slowing to match their course, and fourteen enemy arms - the other six having been broken during the fight - lifted MEarth into the air. Firing from below where the blast carried upward with nothing but a fragile MEarth in their path. Arcadia let loose, pounding the battered mech with megaton after megaton of power, quickly reducing it to near scrape in the space of less than three seconds. But, lucky for the crew of MEarth, while their mech was made of wire it had a lot of that wire. Holes were punched clear through it, allowing paths where the enemy fire could pass without harm. And, by some miracle, the cockpit was spared much of the damage. Still, to the shock of those within it, they could feel a draft where it was holed in three separate locations.

More blasts tore off more wire, and one of the hoops those wires used for structural support actually fell away. That was what saved them. In falling it knocked three of the arms briefly away from MEarth, allowing it to also fall. As it hit the ground Moji ordered MEarth into a spin, ripping through the arms that'd savaged them. The powerful limbs were viciously knocked to one side, or damaged, keeping them from trying the same trick twice. With more of its wire flying from it's ravaged sides to fly off over the horizon, MEarth kept up the assault. Then another of MEarth's hoops was sent flying, and Moji frantically brought them to a stop.

"Well," Maki said, lifting a sweaty face to meet the breeze that blew through the room. "Well," the girl said again, expressing exactly how they all felt. Of the dozen hoops that formed MEarth's structure only nine were left. On those nine at least eighty percent of the wiring was gone.

"Hm," Kako said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Doesn't matter if they shoot us now. We're so full of holes they won't hit anything anyway."

"They've only got one of those arms left working," Chizu said. "And somewhere along the way they lost two more legs. Six left." The girl turned her attention towards Moji. "As bad off as we are we got to destroy those legs and fast."

Moji nodded. Like they the enemy was in shock, trying to take stock and recuperate after the brief but fierce three-second fight that'd so severely crippled them both. If they waited too long Arcadia would put those legs to use tearing MEarth apart. Colliding at near supersonic speeds had prevented it before, but now . . . . He threw MEarth into gear and rolled down towards the legs even as they moved to attack. Spinning MEarth up again caused more wire to fall away, but the legs were knocked aside, and with several more spins they ceased to be a danger. MEarth crept off its fallen enemy with its structure wobbling.

"I think that last arm is pretty badly damaged," Waku said. "It keeps trying to track us, but it can't quite get us in range."

"Good," Moji replied, feeling faint, hands finally loosening from the armrests of his chair. "That was scary." He looked around, only then noticing the breeze that blew through the room and the three holes that clearly showed the outside. "Nice view," he added, swallowing.

Daichi made a dash over to Kirie to check his pulse. "Still alive," the boy announced a second later, 'All that puking must've dehydrated him." With Penny scooting over the to him, he wiped the vomit from the boy's face and took a drink container from his bag.

"About that," Komo whispered, sliding down from her chair to kneel on the floor. She hurled up the contents of her stomach, sending it to splatter over the floor and the legs of Nakama and Waku. "Sorry," she gulped a few seconds later. She turned to look at Moji with a weak smile. "Assuming we win, I'm pretty sure you won't want a kiss of life from me." Then she puked again.

"Lucky for us Moji doesn't get motion sickness," Chizu said. "That would've doomed us."

"About that," Moji said, blinking, face turning green. "I think I need a barf ba . . . ." Then he also sent a wave of vomit onto the floor. He followed it with three more before finally stopping. Still in his seat, he weakly looked up. "At least the holes will help with the smell," he noted. "But what now?"the boy asked asked, looking towards Chizu and Waku.

"I can see their cockpit," Chizu replied, pointing. "All the damage they took means it can't move back and forth to evade detection. And the main trunk has a split in it. If we had a slingshot we could attack them."

"That split also means they can't stand up," Waku added after carefully looking the enemy over. "No more running for them even if they had legs."

"Attack the last arm from behind," Chizu said, "and then we see if we can crush their cockpit. Do you have enough juice to see if it'll work?"

"Sorry, no," Moji answered. "Let's hope none of those other arms are playing possum." Slowly he maneuvered MEarth toward the enemy's last remaining weapon and rolled over it, bending it so that it was lying flat on the ground. There he paused, briefly closing his eyes. "I can't do it," he admitted. "I can't kill her." The boy looked around the room with a wretched expression on his face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Maki said. "You did great. Better than great."

"Only he could've won this fight," Nakama said, speaking from where she was lying on the floor, face green.

"For sure," Kanji added.

"He saved our butts," Anko acknowledged.

"Which leaves someone with having to sit here to finish it off," Moji said. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you looking at me?" Kako asked angrily when everyone turned towards him. "It's not as though I'm the psychotic mob that wanted to kill someone just a few weeks ago."

"Sorry," Moji whispered.

Kako shrugged. "Good job with the piloting," he reluctantly admitted. "It's incredible the way you matched them move for move. I bet even ole Snotty here has never seen anything like it."

"I certainly haven't," Penny said as she carefully lifted a cup, letting an unconscious Kirie get a sip of some sugary, fruit juice.

* * *

The screen to the enemy mech flickered on, showing Arcadia who was sunk low in her chair, clearly tired. Her eyes turned immediately towards Moji. "What you did was impossible," she stated, managing a little smile with the words. "Amazing."

"He's our seer," Chizu explained. When the girl looked confused she added, "He can divine the answer to questions. But even for him what he did was impossible. Certainly beyond anything we've ever seen him do before."

On the screen the Drop Dead look-a-like popped up to peer at Moji. "And you won't die from this?" he asked.

"I hope not," Moji answered, eyes not leaving Arcadia's as he tried to think of some way to save her.

"Indeed, amazing," the creature said before dropping from view again.

On the screen Arcadia took a deep breath before pushing herself back up in her chair. Then, head lowered, she clearly intoned, "I hope you will allow me the right to choose my own path?"

"Huh?" Moji asked.

The older woman stepped into view. "We are defeated. We have no weapons and cannot move. While you are also badly damaged you are able to move. The outcome is clear. Arcadia is asking that she have the right to take her own life instead of being killed."

"That's insane," Moji hissed. "You don't give up, ever. We have three holes in this cockpit for crying out loud. We might just fall apart." He shook his head in disbelief.

"You know as well as we that won't happen," the woman calmly replied. "You have merely to stand atop our cockpit and crush it. The end is obvious." She looked down towards a trembling Arcadia. "While she was not meant for the games as I was, she is indeed a warrior." Her hand raised to gently pat the girl on the head. "One I am proud to have stood in battle with. That this fight was lost is not on her shoulders. As good as she is, we were just outmatched."

Moji nodded. "By far the best we've ever seen," he told them. "No one else has ever matched MEarth's speed. She was my match, and it was pure luck that decided this battle." He looked at the girl who still trembled. "It could've went either way. I'm sorry."

"Why suicide," Chizu asked. "Why not finish the fight?"

"That used to be the way it was," the woman started. "We fought and died as our masters commanded. Then, around four hundred years ago, a novice fighter amongst the slaves disobeyed. The one he fought was his brother, and he desired to spare that brother the despair of having to deliver the death blow, so he died on his own sword. Angry, the masters killed the brother anyway. Yet, having seen that, the next pair who fought in the fights did the same. And the next. And the next after that. It enraged the masters for it took from them some of their control, their power." The woman looked at Chizu and smiled. "In pairs we died by the tens of millions. One by suicide and the other by our masters' wrath. Yet we maintained the ritual, and the masters finally relented. They had no choice for our numbers dwindled and if not for the fights what would they have to amuse themselves with?"

"I see." Chizu swallowed. "Why not rebel?"

The woman pointed to her chest. "From the time we're born we are implanted with a device that will explode with the press of a button. If a master dies within twelve feet of one of us we also die. It is the way things are. Even if we were to succeed the masters now have biological weapons against which they are vaccinated. We are not. If there was a way to rebel, we would've found it. We live at their mercy, but we choose our own death."

"I see," Chizu said again. "If they can kill you so easily why allow you to commit suicide?"

"Because if they kill a slave that way it moreso alleviates any guilt their opponent bears." The woman grinned evilly. "But we started the ritual where if a slave is killed in such a fashion then their opponent then commits suicide in their stead. When our numbers had dropped almost to the vanishing point we were allowed the method of our death. Even now that we are once more numerous they fear to try such tactics again." The woman shrugged. "To those who are free I'm sure it must seem barbaric."

"No," Chizu disagreed. "It seems noble. Even in the face of overwhelming power you maintain your humanity. I'm impressed."

"As am I," Kako echoed. "When I first knew what it meant to sit in one of these mechs I went a little crazy?"

"A little?" Chizu teased.

The boy shrugged. "Okay, I went totally berserk. I was crazier than a mad hatter lunatic on a full moon." His eyes met those of the girl and he smiled. "Again. Sorry."

"As am I," Chizu said, smiling back.

Moji looked at Drop Dead. "Can we exchange places?" he asked, begging. "Let us change seats so she sits here and I there. She can live and I can die. Please."

"No," Arcadia shouted, looking up. "No."

"It's not possible," the enemy Drop Dead said, floating into view again. "Each of you is linked to the mech you agreed to fight in. It can't be changed." It flew closer to the screen to peer at the boy. "At least that is what I would normally say. But if you can survive being a pilot then you can be deregistered from your mech's database. Then you can transfer here to register and pilot." It looked at Arcadia. "If she can survive being a pilot then she can also deregister and transfer over there."

"We'll do it," Moji stated, feeling his heart swell with relief, with joy. Arcadia would live. Feeling exhilarated, he grinned at the girl.

"No," Arcadia stated angrily, refusing. "This is my place. And I won't buy my life at the price of yours. Never that." The girl smiled, grinning. "I never thought I would say that to a free person, but I prefer you to live over me." Then, with the smile becoming much more predatory, she turned to look up at the older woman. "Imagine the masters sitting, watching this. They must see we're defeated and they can do nothing. Their fear must be so sweet, so delicious. I wish I could see their faces."

"You can," Chizu hurried to interject, knowing the girl was about to die. She looked at the enemy Drop Dead. "Let her see the faces of those so called masters. Please."

The creature nodded. "A most interesting fight," it stated.

"So beautiful," the older woman said, eyes widening. Behind her several more people stepped forward. Their eyes also lit up from what they now saw.

"Arcadia," Moji said, wanting to plea with the girl, to beg. Instead he told her what she wanted to hear, the truth. "I love you."

The screen went dark as one of the shattered arms of the enemy mech fired. It couldn't aim but it happened to beingat the ground just beneath the cockpit.

'If nothing else it seems I'll be even more famous," Drop Dead said with a sigh. "Damn crazy kids."

"How's Kirie doing?" Kako asked.

"He seems to be okay," Penny answered.

Kako nodded, figuring the boy had woke up a while back, but was too happy lying on Daichi's lap to bother doing anything.

"Kiss of life for Moji?" Chizu said, looking over the group. "You wanna kiss another guy?" she asked looking at Kako.

"I'll pass. I think," he replied, peering at the girl, questioning her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll let someone else," she replied, knowing the question. She continued to look around, knowning Penny, Machi, and Anko were hesitant because they liked a boy and figured someone else would step up. That left Nakama, Komo, and Maki.

"I'll do the honors," Komo said, standing. She quickly stepped forward to briefly kiss the boy on the lips. "I'm sorry about Arcadia," she added with a small, comforting smile before returning to her chair.

Moji nodded, looking dejectedly down at his hands, realizing just how little his power of divination meant.

* * *

Cherry stared into space and slowly blinked. A popup menu appeared on the contact lens she wore and she repeated the action. It was a simple process. You looked at what you wanted to choose and then closed the eye at a little slower than normal to select it. A normal blink of the eye was thus ignored, keeping it from interfering from normal day-to-day stuff. A practiced user could even type at a reasonable speed using a virtual keyboard that contained not just the basic letters but combinations thereof, and even full words. It was possible to use the hands and fingers to type, but that required the use of fake-fingernail add-ons that connected to the lens. She'd forewent that. The lens displayed the status of four, small, insect-like constructs that read as fully operational and ready to go. She hit launch and then exited the display.

The woman looked around the room, noting it was the same one as the children had been taken from weeks ago. Despite the strange conversation she'd had with an equally strange girl less than an hour ago, she was less than pleased to be here. Or, to be more precise, she was fervently pissed that Kodama would be living here as would Chizu. _Why allow a person who showed such sociopathic tendencies to roam free,_ the irate woman fumed, tapping on the table she sat at. On the table's display was the image of a gigantic construct that almost rivaled that of a building. Composed of hoops connected by numerous strands of wire she was puzzled as to what it could be. But then kids these days did all sorts of things. Including artwork for comics and such.

Having been told the kids would arrive soon, Cherry leaned back in her chair, patiently waiting as she wondered at what level this whole thing was organized. That a transfer of duties would be timely handled was accepted in a society where computers did most of the work, but with this there'd been no waiting. Then the fourteen kids she'd been sent to supervise flickered into existence, startling her.

"Nice to have you with us," Machi said, greeting their new roommate with a smile. "We're a bit wacky at times, but we're all glad you agreed to this." Her eyes briefly turned towards Kodama. "Well, most of us anyway."

"I certainly feel safer," Chizu said, also greeting the woman with a smile. "And there would've been massive problems if you'd refused."

"Are you sure you can handle us if things get bad?" Kako asked, giving the woman a brief smile of welcome as well.

"All doctors who specialize in cognitive disorders are taught how to handle hostile situations," Cherry said, finally getting in a word. "So long as you stop doing these weird tricks, like appearing and disappearing, I'm sure I can manage. And I'm glad you all agreed to continue treatment. I would've worried otherwise." She looked over to Moji. "What happened?" she asked, becoming serious.

"He just saw a girl he likes die," Kako said bluntly. "There's nothing you can do to help her," the boy quickly added, seeing the woman was about to jump into action.

Cherry nodded, swallowing. "Just where and when did it happen? And how did she die?" she asked.

"Five-megaton nuclear explosion," Chizu answered. She glanced at Machi. "Nine down with six to go. Maybe something to mark it with?"

Machi frowned, thinking. "I'm worried about Moji," she finally said, "but that's what we got Cherry for." She looked at the woman. "Some of the things he might say will sound weird, but you should be used to that by now."

"Being able to accept it isn't the same as getting used to it," Cherry replied, knowing she was about to hear of more strange and impossible things. She nodded at the three and rose. "Time for me to get to work."

Machi nodded and, hesitating for a few seconds, hopped up on the table with a determined expression. "People," she shouted. "We've seen a lot since we came here, and despite it being impossible we've won all nine fights so far." The girl stared down at her friends, eyes piercing and resolute. "And we will win the next six as well," she added, bellowing out the words, radiating confidence. "While we all have wounds from these battles those wounds will heal, leaving scars that will be our memories of what has happened. That is all we can offer to those we kill. We will remember them and their worlds. We will remember their honor." She looked at Chizu. "The honor of a world that knew only war after futile war, yet produced good men." The girl took a deep breath. "Worlds where girls like Jenny loved blueberry cake. Who was far more innocent than any of us ever were." She turned to look at Moji. "And a world where slaves knew honor their masters could never hope to understand. Slaves who fought for the same thing we all do - for those we love and call friends. So different from us yet still the same. We will remember all of them and that they were all the same as us."

Machi took another deep breath, looking around. "Yet we're tired, and we're again near the breaking point, so tonight we will forget that we're monsters, killers beyond anything any world has ever heard tell of. We will just be friends at a campout and we will talk, eat and tell ghost stories. And we will sleep together beneath the stars." She turned towards Waku and Chizu. "You two will record the data we got from Arcadia." Her gaze next turned towards Daichi. "We need food suitable for a campout. We need marshmallows and weiners and sodas as well chips. Nothing but junk so forget if it's healthy for once." She smiled at the boy before looking over towards Maki and Komo and Nakama. "You three will get the 3D printer to make us sleeping bags. One for each of us. Make them colorful and have silly designs on them like unicorns or rainbows." She frowned. "You can put mean messages on the boys,' she added, grinning so they would know she was kidding.

She pointed. "Set the boys' sleeping bags out on this side of the room and the girls on the other." Then, wondering if it would work she frowned at the ceiling, using her implants to access the room's controls. Above them a crystal clear, night sky with a full moon appeared. Filled with bright stars it was a view one could only get when far away from cities. Swallowing as she concentrated, Machi focused on the walls. One turned into a dark ocean with small waves rippling towards the shore. The one opposite it became a bank of sand and grass that towered above them. On each end were rocky cliffs. The floor became sand. Thought all the scenes were only static paintings it looked vivid and real, and would've fooled anyone who didn't know the difference.

Taking another deep breath the girl looked down at the table she stood on. It lowered into the floor while six small pillars rose. "We'll need candles," she told the group. "Nine large ones for each pillar since they'll be the campfires. One for each of our victories." She grinned. "And for games we'll each have a chance to blow out all nine flames. Those who manage it will get a worthless 3D printed ribbon they can show off."

Machi studied the group, thinking, wondering what she'd forgot. "Oh yeah, the rest of you get to work looking up ghost stories we'll tell each other. I'm sure they have a million we've never heard of."

Cherry raised her hand. "Am I invited?"

"Of course." Machi stared at the woman's chest. "Since you're obviously a girl your sleeping bag will be on the girls' side. But unless you cover those things you might find it a cold welcome."

* * *

End of Chapter


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